US, EU push 'global alliance' against online paedophilia

The European Union and the United States called on the rest of world Thursday to join them in a "global alliance" to combat child sex abuse on the Internet and track down paedophiles.

The initiative aims to boost efforts to identify and protect victims, cut down on child pornography available on the Internet and strengthen efforts to find and prosecute paedophiles, the European Commission said.

"There is ... a need for more action worldwide," EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem said in a statement calling for the formation of a "Global Alliance against Child Sexual Abuse Online."

"The EU and the US have taken the lead in designing the alliance, and plan to invite states around the world to join," she said.

The US-EU agreement was reached at a ministerial meeting in Copenhagen that was attended by Malmstroem, US Attorney General Eric Holder and the justice ministers of Denmark and Cyprus.

The US and the EU plan to formally launch the global alliance in December.

(c) 2012 AFP