The Commission has asked Malta and five other countries to bring in the Directive on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography.

It said it was concerned that Greece, Spain, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Romania had not communicated all the national measures taken to ensure full implementation of Directive 2011/93/EU on combating the sexual abuse and sexual exploitation of children and child pornography.

The directive harmonises criminal offences relating to sexual abuse committed against children, the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography throughout the European Union.

It lays down a minimum level for criminal sanctions, and also includes provisions aimed at combating on-line child sex abuse and child sex tourism. Furthermore, it aims to prevent offenders convicted of child sex crimes from exercising professional activities involving regular contact with children.

The measures of this directive had to be implemented by  December 18,  2013. Despite letters of formal notice (the first step of an infringement procedure) sent in January 2014 to Greece, Spain, Italy, Malta, Portugal and Romania, these six countries have either not yet notified the Commission of all the national measures undertaken to ensure full implementation the directive, or have not yet adopted legislation to comply with all of its provisions.

The six countries now have two months to notify the Commission of all measures taken to ensure full implementation, including to bring national legislation in line with EU law. Otherwise, the Commission may decide to refer them to Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU).