Strasbourg, 18 June 2025

The Federation of Catholic Family Association in Europe (FAFCE) welcomes the decision of the European Parliament to force pornographic websites to put in place “robust and effective age verification tools to effectively prevent children from accessing pornographic content online”.

Members of the European Parliament voted on Tuesday, the 17th of June during the debate on the Directive on Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM).

After months of work, this vote is a major victory to protect children from pornographic platforms, that profit from suffering and violence. Under the new Directive, websites with harmful content will have to effectively prevent minors from accessing this content.

It reads : “Disseminating pornographic content online without putting in place robust and effective age verification tools to effectively prevent children from accessing pornographic content online shall be punishable by a maximum term of imprisonment of at least 1 year.” (AM 186)

This measure was introduced by an amendment launched by MEP François-Xavier Bellamy (EPP, France) and supported by 42 members of the EPP Group.

Vincenzo Bassi, President of FAFCE declared : “We welcome everything that supports the role of parents in their primary responsibility of educators: this proposal goes in that direction. Pornographic content seriously harms the emotional and sexual development of children, going against the primary educational role of the parents.”  

A week before this vote, FAFCE was invited to speak on the harmful impact of online pornography on minors during an event organised by MEP Margarita de la Pisa Carrion (Patriots, Spain).

For years, FAFCE has raised awarness about the importance of the protection of minors from online pornography at the European Parliament , at the Council of Europe and the United Nations.

Additionally FAFCE has contributed actively to the Public Consultations of the European Commission and the United Nations OHCHR on the topic of combatting online child sexual abuse and the protection of minors from online threats.

Together with partners gathered in the European Child SHIELD Platform FAFCE has insisted on “ensuring the implementation of the CSAM current rules” by “mandatory effective age-verification under penalty of immediate blocking” (exerpts from SHIELD Advocacy Statement).

FAFCE thanks all MEPs for supporting this crucial step into preventing children from accessing online pornographic content.

FAFCE, asks now the Council of the EU to remain commited to children’s protection and to keep effective age-verification tools to effectively prevent children from accessing pornographic content online.