Ireland will push for EU-wide rules on the age at which children can access online services when it takes over the next Council presidency next month.
Ireland will lead the Council of the EU starting July 1 for six months. The priorities were outlined in the plans unveiled Wednesday.
The government said it would advocate for an “EU-level decision on the digital age of majority” and underline the importance of age verification for preserving privacy.
During a press conference, Micheál Martin, the country’s prime minister, said that one of the goals of the presidency was to see “much greater” protections for children online and that age verification was a “key factor” in this context.
But Ireland also says in its priority brief that it wants to hear children’s views about online safety.
Internet safety for children has become a major political issue pRIORITIES across the EU in recent months, with several countries presenting measures, including age restrictions on social media.
Ireland has also made European competitiveness a top priority for its six-month tenure at the helm of the Council.
Martin said Europe needs to focus on innovation, especially when it comes to AI, arguing that China and the US are way ahead of Europe.
Asked about the presence of many Big Tech companies headquartered in Ireland and whether this could affect the country’s position on digital regulations, he said he did not accept the idea that there was a tension.
The Irish Data Protection Commission, which acts as the lead GDPR regulator for many large European technology companies headquartered in Ireland, has long been criticized by privacy advocates who claim it has failed to properly enforce the rules.
“Our data protection commission has been very effective,” Martin said, adding that Ireland is “as good at regulating data as anyone”.
(aw)
