EU moves to tackle child sex abuse

TOUGHER penalties and greater co-operation between EU member states to tackle child sexual abuse and trafficking in human beings have been proposed by the European Commission.

The proposals go further than existing legislation in many countries and aim to block access to websites containing child pornography, criminalise the grooming of children and prosecute those who avail of child prostitution even if it has taken place outside the EU.

The Commissioner in charge of Home Affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom, said an EU anti-trafficking co-ordinator will be appointed shortly.