EU: Rape must be defined based on the absence of consent in all EU countries

Source: europarl.europa.eu 4/28/26 Commission urged to propose EU-wide consent-based rape legislation Silence, lack of resistance or previous relationship must not imply consent MEPs call for a victim-centred approach with specialist support, training and prevention measures Compulsory training for professionals in contact with survivors Parliament wants the Commission to propose legislation establishing a common definition of rape based on freely given, informed, and revocable consent.   In a report adopted on Tuesday with 447 votes for, 160 against, and 43 abstentions, MEPs call on member states that still rely on force-…

Read More

Some registrants will be prevented from traveling in Europe’s Schengen countries

Source: etias.org [Beginning first half of 2025] Criminal records can prevent you from being allowed to travel to the Schengen Zone. Any travellers applying for ETIAS for a short stay in Europe are likely to have their ETIAS application declined if they have committed a serious crime. Applications from people with minor offences will usually be approved for an ETIAS and granted entry to the 26 ETIAS countries. Any of the following serious criminal offences in the last ten years will need to be reviewed and likely to be declined:…

Read More

EU cancels vote on child sexual abuse law amid encryption concerns

Source: politico.eu 6/20/24 A vote scheduled today to amend a draft law that may require WhatsApp and Signal to scan people’s pictures and links for potential child sexual abuse material was removed from European Union countries’ agenda, according to three EU diplomats. Ambassadors in the EU Council were scheduled to decide whether to back a joint position on an EU regulation to fight child sexual abuse material (CSAM). But many EU countries including Germany, Austria, Poland, the Netherlands and the Czech Republic  were expected to abstain or oppose the law over cybersecurity and privacy…

Read More