27-01-2025 15:00
Statute of limitations in the EU for crimes of child sexual abuse
Other events
LIBE
On 27 January, the LIBE Committee held an exchange of views on the "Statutes of limitation in the EU for crimes of child sexual abuse". The aim was to shed light on the importance of the (appropriate length) of the limitation period when dealing with child sexual abuse crimes.
The discussion in LIBE was organized in preparation of the EP negotiating mandate on the Proposal for the recast of the 2011 Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child sexual abuse material (2024/0035 (COD)). The statute of limitations differ widely among Member States. Moreover, it can take a very long time before survivors of child sexual abuse are able to talk about their experiences. The proposed recast of the 2011 Directive aims at establishing a minimum duration of the statutes of limitation for all Member States in order to allow an equal access to justice for victims throughout the EU and to allow victims to report this kind of crime and effectively seek justice late in their life.
The European Commission and external experts provided their insights on this topic and engaged in intense discussions with the Members.