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Child sexual exploitation and sexual abuse are among the worst forms of violence against children and know no borders. The rise in these crimes is exacerbated by the use of digital technology. Harmonised national laws and international cooperation are essential to improve prevention and protect victims. This is a further update of a publication originally drafted by Ingeborg Odink in November 2024.

Russia's war against Ukraine has revealed the extent of our dependency on digital technology and the fragility of the digital space. It has triggered a surge in cyber-attacks that have been particularly disruptive when targeting critical infrastructure – such as energy, health or finance – because of the increasing reliance on information technology, rendering this infrastructure all the more vulnerable. Against this backdrop, the Commission has proposed a regulation on a cyber solidarity act that ...

In this period of accelerating geopolitical tensions, the EU stands at a critical juncture, facing increasing global competition and sharply divergent views from some countries, which sometimes challenge the EU's approach to digital regulation. To assert its position as a consistent, predictable and reliable partner, the EU has defined objectives for future digital cooperation in its international digital strategy, published on 5 June 2025.

Trafficking in human beings is a serious crime and a violation of human rights. When it happens to children, it disrupts their childhood and exposes them to horrific exploitation and abuse, and a precarious future. Even though the true number of victims of human trafficking is not known, recent data reveal that the number of child victims has been on the increase. Awareness of children as victims of human trafficking has increased as well. Just like adult victims, child victims can be trafficked ...

New technologies come with new risks, and the impact of cyber-attacks through digital products has increased dramatically in recent years. Consumers are increasingly falling victim to security flaws linked to digital products such as baby monitors, robo-vacuum cleaners, Wi-Fi routers and alarm systems. For businesses, the importance of ensuring that digital products in the supply chain are secure has become pivotal, considering three in five vendors have already lost money as a result of product ...

Criminal organisations continue to pose big risks to the EU's internal security – a rising number of organised crime groups are active on EU territory, often with cross-border reach. The EU has made substantial progress in terms of protecting its citizens since the early 1990s. This has often been in response to dramatic incidents, such as murders committed by the mafia or other organised crime groups or big money-laundering scandals, or to negative trends, such as the steep increase in migrant smuggling ...

The rise of digital technologies represents a double-edged sword for women's rights. On the one hand, the digital environment has enabled women to build networks and spread awareness about the abuse they suffer, such as through the #Metoo movement. On the other, it has provided abusers and misogynists with new tools with which they can spread their harmful content on an unprecedented scale. With the development of artificial intelligence, these trends, both positive and negative, are expected to ...

The digital transformation is making the EU institutions and administration more vulnerable to cyber threats and incidents. Their number has surged dramatically in recent years: there were as many incidents during the first half of 2021 as in the whole of 2020, for instance. Yet an analysis of 20 Union institutions, bodies and agencies showed that their governance, preparedness, cybersecurity capability and maturity varied substantially, weakening the system. This regulation puts in place a common ...

In April 2023, the European Commission proposed a regulation to strengthen solidarity and capacities in the EU to detect, prepare for and respond to cybersecurity threats and incidents ('cyber solidarity act'). During its April II part-session, the Parliament is set to vote on the agreement reached in negotiations with the Council.

Cybercrime is a major threat to society that generates billions of euros for its perpetrators. It is a form of crime that is continuing to grow, with criminals showing increasing sophistication and resourcefulness. These criminal activities occur at all levels of society and take many forms, from investment fraud to phishing and the creation of bogus entities, including fake charities. The rise in the use of digital solutions for everyday activities in business and public services is matched by the ...