In the new digital media landscape, children face many dangers associated with the exercise of freedom of speech and information. This risky situation is derived from their access or participation in illicit or harmful content in the audiovisual environment. Illegal or harmful content can violate some children's rights: to a proper development of personality, to honour, to privacy, to self-image, to data protection, to sexual indemnity, etc. Therefore, on many different legislations child protection against abuses of freedom of speech and information has already been recognized as a limit on these liberties. In addition, both countries and supranational institutions have been approving measures to protect minors in the field of media. Since its very beginning, EU audiovisual policy has paid special attention to this issue, in particular on the Television Without Frontiers Directive, renamed after its recent reform as Directive Audiovisual Media Services. The paper describes the different measures adopted by the EU to protect children in the field of the media, reviewing the legally binding instruments (Charter of Fundamental Rights and Directives), the working papers and recommendations (Green Books, Recommendations) and the specific UE action-plans. The author stresses the leadership role that the UE has played in the cause of building a public audiovisual space respectful towards the rights of everyone, including children and adolescents
