The European Commission will present a legislative proposal after the summer to impose harmonised age restrictions on social media access for minors across the 27-member bloc, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced on Monday. The move follows the delivery of a report by an expert panel co-chaired by child psychiatrist Jörg M. Fegert and epidemiologist Maria Melchior, which recommends a tiered system: no screen exposure for children under two, supervised and time-limited access to age-appropriate platforms for those aged three to twelve, and a gradual, autonomous use from age thirteen onward, provided platforms demonstrate built-in safety features. Von der Leyen called the approach “very convincing” and said the Commission would now examine national initiatives before drafting a common framework, with a formal proposal expected in the autumn, likely during her State of the Union address in September.

Viewed from Brussels, the push for a bloc-wide standard is driven by a desire to prevent regulatory fragmentation as several member states advance their own laws. In Berlin, Family Minister Karin Prien is preparing a national bill by year-end, while in Paris lawmakers have proposed a minimum age of fifteen. Spain is considering a ban for under-16s, and the United Kingdom plans to prohibit certain social media for under-16s by spring, relying on what Technology Secretary Liz Kendall described as “highly effective age-verification measures.” The expert panel’s recommendation of a thirteen-year threshold is lower than some national proposals, a choice the co-chairs justified on scientific grounds and by pointing to Australia’s experience, where a ban for under-16s introduced in December has been widely circumvented: three months later, 85 percent of 12- to 15-year-olds were still using social media, often by falsifying their age.

The Commission’s initiative builds on existing EU digital regulation. Under the Digital Services Act, platforms already bear a “duty of care” towards users, and Brussels has recently opened proceedings against TikTok and Meta over allegedly addictive design features. Consumer Protection Commissioner Michael McGrath signalled that a forthcoming law, expected later this year, will strengthen protections against manipulative interfaces. Von der Leyen framed the issue as one of platform responsibility, stating that “whoever develops a product is responsible for its safety,” and likened the proposed age gate to existing legal limits for driving and alcohol purchase. The expert report further recommends that harmonised access restrictions be coupled with privacy-preserving age verification, potentially leveraging the EU’s planned digital identity wallet, which is due to become available in 2027.

From a global perspective, the EU’s move aligns with a broader regulatory trend. Australia, Britain, China, India and the United States have either imposed or are considering social media restrictions for minors. Analysts in London note that the effectiveness of any ban will hinge on enforcement mechanisms, a challenge underscored by the Australian case. The Commission intends to integrate the various national proposals into a single legislative text, with von der Leyen stressing the need for a “common solution” to ensure equal protection for all children across the Union, regardless of socioeconomic or national background. The dossier now moves to internal Commission deliberations, with a concrete legal instrument expected to be unveiled in the second half of the year.