EU is set to roll out a new digital safeguard for children online, unveiling a European age-verification app that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said is now “technically ready” and will be made available to citizens very soon.
Speaking about the initiative, von der Leyen described the current online environment for minors as deeply troubling, pointing to cyberbullying, addictive platform design and exposure to harmful content as daily risks for children and teenagers.
How the EU’s Age-Verification app will work
The app is designed to allow users to prove their age when accessing platforms or services with age restrictions, without disclosing personal data.
Von der Leyen compared the process to showing an ID when buying alcohol. Users will be able to confirm that they meet an age requirement without sharing sensitive personal information with the platform itself.
The system is expected to follow a simple process modeled on the digital tools used during the pandemic, particularly the Covid certificate. According to the Commission’s outline, users will download the app, activate it using an identity card or passport, and then use an age-verification credential each time they need to access restricted content or services.
It is for parents to raise their children. Not platforms.
The European Age Verification App is ready ↓ https://t.co/EumEPEJOI7
— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 15, 2026
Privacy at the center of the plan
Commission Executive Vice-President Henna Virkkunen placed particular emphasis on privacy protections, stressing that platforms will not gain access to sensitive personal data.
According to the Commission, the app will be anonymous and non-traceable, compatible with all devices, and based on open-source standards. Officials are also presenting it as a practical continuation of the model used during the pandemic, when the EU’s Covid certificate infrastructure was deployed rapidly and adopted widely.
Von der Leyen recalled that the Covid app was developed in three months and used in 78 countries, arguing that the new age-verification tool is built on the same principles of speed and interoperability. She added that the system could also be deployed beyond the European Union.
Why Greece and other countries are pushing for speed
Greece, Spain and Cyprus have been among the countries calling for faster action, reflecting growing concern over how to better protect minors in digital environments.
At the same time, seven EU member states, including Greece, France, Italy and Denmark, are planning to integrate the app into their national digital wallets. Von der Leyen described those countries as pioneers, saying they are at the forefront of implementation and will serve as pilots for a broader EU-wide rollout.
Pressure is also rising at the political level. French President Emmanuel Macron is convening a videoconference tomorrow with leaders from countries including Spain, the Netherlands and Ireland, with Greece also expected to take part. The goal is to shape a common European position on limiting minors’ access to social media platforms.
Paris is also pushing for a unified age threshold across the EU, increasing pressure on the Commission to move more quickly.
EU Age-Verification app enters next phase under the DSA
The app is part of a broader push for stricter oversight under the Digital Services Act. Virkkunen warned that Europe will not tolerate platforms making money at the expense of children, referring to ongoing interventions targeting major companies over addictive design practices and insufficient child-safety measures.
In parallel, the Commission is moving to create a European coordination mechanism aimed at ensuring consistent implementation across the bloc and preventing further fragmentation as member states pursue different rules and approaches.
Virkkunen said the EU must avoid ending up with 27 separate solutions and instead move toward one common European approach. The Commission has already assembled a group of experts, first announced by von der Leyen last September, who are expected to present concrete recommendations to EU member states by the summer.
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