ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the development of an EU-wide policy on how to combat Internet child pornography. At European Union (EU) Member State level there is a strong commitment, based on global economic competition, but equally political populism, to embrace in principle 'the age of the Information Society'. The EU also co-operates with regional organizations such as the Council of Europe and international organizations such as the United Nations and G8 to fight cybercrime more generally and child pornography specifically. Visual depiction and representation was the agreed format for defining child pornography under the Framework Decision while some of the earlier drafts included references to 'textual or written material of whatever type' in addition to audiovisual material. After ten years of discussions and several attempts the EU Member States have finally moved towards achieving EU-wide harmonization to fight child pornography under the provisions of the Council Framework Decision.
