France, Spain, and Greece push for EU-wide restrictions on children’s social media access

As concerns about children’s online safety escalate across Europe, France, Spain, and Greece are spearheading an initiative to establish EU-wide restrictions on minors’ access to social media platforms. The three nations have prepared a comprehensive policy document urging the European Commission to accelerate the development of age verification technologies and establish a minimum age for social media access across the bloc.

This trilateral proposal highlights growing alarm over the mental health impacts of social media on young people and comes as individual member states implement their own protective measures, from Greece’s recently launched digital wallet for children to France’s proposed ban on social media for those under 15.

The trilateral initiative for online child protection

The Spanish, Greek, and French digital ministers have drafted a detailed policy document intended to spark debate at the June 5th ministerial meeting in Brussels. In this document, obtained by Euractiv, the ministers express significant concern that ‘poorly designed digital products and services’ are contributing to various health issues among minors who are constantly exposed to trivial or comparative contents’. The ministers argue that swift and decisive action at the EU level is crucial to address these growing concerns about children’s digital well-being. T

The policy paper outlines several key recommendations, including the acceleration of development for an EU-wide age verification system and the establishment of a common minimum age threshold for social media access across all member states. This trilateral initiative represents one of the most coordinated pushes for digital age restrictions within the EU, reflecting mounting evidence of social media’s negative impacts on adolescent mental health and development. The timing of this proposal is particularly significant as it comes shortly after the EU Digital Identity Framework Regulation entered into force, providing a technical foundation upon which these protective measures could be built.

The call for digital age verification

A central element of the proposal is the call for robust age verification mechanisms that would effectively prevent underage users from accessing inappropriate online content. The ministers are urging the European Commission to expand its planned EU-wide age verification application, which is being developed as a temporary solution until the full EU Digital Wallet rollout is expected by the end of 2026. The countries argue that this app should not merely verify age but should also incorporate parental control mechanisms and have the capability to limit access to certain applications for minors. This represents a significant expansion of the app’s originally intended functionality, transforming it from a simple verification tool into a comprehensive digital guardian for young Europeans.

The push for enhanced verification comes as each country develops its own national solutions. Greece has already launched its ‘Kids Wallet‘ digital ID system for children, which allows parents to provide consent for their children to access age-restricted online platforms until they reach 15 years of age’. This innovative system stores the child’s digital ID number and links to their parent or guardian’s online tax ID credential, giving parents the ability to approve specific apps and websites for their children. The system also includes features that allow parents to set time limits for certain applications, providing a comprehensive approach to managing children’s online activities and ensuring appropriate content consumption.

The EU’s digital identity framework

The push for age verification and digital identity solutions for minors comes at a significant moment, as the EU’s Digital Identity Framework Regulation entered into force just recently. This framework establishes the foundation upon which many of the proposed protections could be built. According to the regulation, member states will be required to offer at least one EU Digital Identity Wallet to all citizens and residents by 2026. This wallet will take the form of a mobile application that enables users to identify themselves to public and private online services throughout Europe, store and present digital documents, and electronically sign or seal documents.

The European Commission has already invested €46 million from the Digital Europe Programme in four large-scale pilots to test the EU Digital Identity Wallet in everyday use cases, including mobile driving licenses, payments, and education and professional qualifications. A second call for large-scale pilots to support the deployment of the wallets has also been recently published. This existing framework provides a natural infrastructure upon which age verification systems and parental controls for minors could be integrated, potentially accelerating the implementation of the protections advocated by France, Spain, and Greece.

Executive Vice-President for a Europe Fit for the Digital Age, Margrethe Vestager, has emphasized the importance of this development, noting that ‘about two years from now, every European will be able to safely manage personal digital documents and access public and private online services with full control of personal data from a personal mobile app offered on a voluntary basis to all European citizens and residents’. This vision of digital identity management aligns closely with the goals outlined in the trilateral proposal, suggesting potential for integration of these initiatives.

Next Steps and broader implications

The policy paper from France, Spain, and Greece will be formally presented to other EU digital ministers during their meeting on 5 June 2025, where it is expected to generate significant discussion. The timing of this proposal is strategic, as it comes shortly after the Commission presented draft guidelines to protect minors under the EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA). Those draft guidelines already suggest that platforms should apply age assurance measures online to reduce children’s exposure to inappropriate and pornographic content. The three countries want their position to be taken into account when the Commission publishes the final version of these guidelines by the end of the summer.

The implications of these proposals extend beyond just technical implementations, touching on fundamental questions about digital citizenship, parental authority, and the balance between protection and freedom for young people. Critics may raise concerns about privacy and restrictions on young people’s access to information and communication platforms, while advocates emphasise the primacy of protecting vulnerable minors from harmful content and addiction. The debate at the June ministerial meeting will likely address these tensions, with potential ramifications for how the EU approaches digital regulation for years to come.