The European Commission has instructed EU countries to postpone draft national social media restrictions for children for 12 months where they overlap with forthcoming EU rules. Announcing the decision in Brussels, Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said the pause concerned proposals covered by the planned harmonised framework.
Austria is the first country affected. Its draft, submitted to the Commission on 28 July, would exclude under-14s from video-sharing platforms and require age verification. EU countries must notify Brussels of draft technical legislation before adopting it, and the Commission’s review period for Austria’s proposal has now ended.
The Austrian government has challenged the intervention. State secretary Alexander Pröll objected to national legislation being blocked before a completed European alternative was available. Vice-Chancellor Andreas Babler said Austria would continue its preparations so the ban could enter into force immediately after the pause expires.
Proposed in September, the EU Kids Act would prohibit under-13s from using most social media and restrict access for under-15s. The Commission wants a common standard, rather than 27 different age thresholds. It also fears that governments may lose interest in EU legislation once national measures are established.
The proposal still requires agreement from the European Parliament and EU governments and may not take effect until 2028. Some governments are unwilling to wait: Denmark is pressing ahead with its own legislation, with digital minister Christina Egelund stressing the urgency of the problems.
