Written declaration on the exponential increase in online paedophilia

The European Parliament,

– having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas paedophilia is on the increase in Europe and, according to the report by Telefono Arcobaleno, 92% of the children exploited are of European origin, 61% of customers are European and 86% of paedophiliac material online and 52% of paedophilia websites are in Europe; whereas from 2003 to 2007 paedophiliac material has increased by 131.65%,

B. concerned by the fact that the age of the children exploited on the Web has become even younger, while the technological tools used by paedophiles (videos and films), the number of followers of this sordid trade and the number of children raped and gone missing have increased,

C. whereas access to paedophilia websites can be gained through the counterfeiting of prestigious trademarks, institutional websites and those of universities and trade unions; whereas the World Wide Web represents freedom and progress, but unless it has targeted rules becomes a preferred medium for crime,

1. Calls on the Council and Commission to adopt EU rules to prevent, through a single European central office, the spread of paedophilia websites and to provide for a requirement for ISP (Internet Service Provider) hosts to check in advance what is being put online and to black out paedophilia sites;

2. Calls on the Council to harmonise and speed up the timescale for trials concerning paedophilia,

3. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the signatories, to the Council and the Commission.