22 July 2026 – ECLAG* welcomes the adoption of the renewed Interim Derogation on child sexual abuse ensuring that online providers can continue voluntarily detecting child sexual abuse material with a clear legal basis. By doing so, the European Parliament’s vote sends a strong message that protecting children remains a priority and that effective detection measures are indispensable in the fight against child sexual abuse.
While the extension is an important step in maintaining children’s protection online, it is only a temporary measure. ECLAG urges EU policymakers to adopt a robust, permanent legal framework. The shared objective must remain a long-term solution that enables the effective detection of child sexual abuse material.
The Interim Derogation provides essential legal certainty for internet companies to continue detecting, reporting and removing images and videos of child sexual abuse. These measures play a vital role in identifying children at risk, supporting law enforcement investigations and preventing the further spread of abusive content online.
Nathalie Meurens, Senior EU Advocacy Manager at Terre des Hommes Netherlands and ECLAG spokesperson said: “The extension of the Interim Derogation ensures that children remain protected online while policymakers continue negotiations on a permanent solution. But temporary measures cannot become the norm, the EU must now deliver a durable legal framework that puts children’s rights and safety first. The best interests of the child are not optional, they are a legal obligation under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.”
For more than four years, ECLAG has called for a comprehensive legal framework to prevent, detect, report and remove child sexual abuse online. ECLAG stands firm in its commitment to the swift adoption of the permanent Child Sexual Abuse Regulation and encourages EU policymakers to resume negotiations on the long-term framework without delay.
Children deserve sustainable and effective protection online. The extension of the Interim Derogation is an important milestone in ensuring that protection continues uninterrupted, but the work is far from finished. ECLAG calls on EU policymakers to seize this momentum and deliver the ambitious legislation that children across Europe urgently need.
