AI Safety for Children and Global Health Security Take Centre Stage in EU Announcements
May , 2026 : The European Union placed child digital safety and global health preparedness in the spotlight this week, with two separate developments from the European Commission focusing on future risks, public protection, and resilience.
On 12 May 2026, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen participated in the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children. The summit focused on the growing impact of artificial intelligence, social media, and digital platforms on children.
During her keynote speech, President von der Leyen underlined the urgent need to protect children in the digital age. She pointed to both the opportunities created by new technologies and the serious risks linked to social media and AI-driven business models. These risks include mental health harm, online addiction, and exploitation, particularly when digital platforms put profit ahead of child safety.
The President also highlighted Europe’s existing efforts to regulate large technology companies through laws such as the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act. She said further steps could also be considered, including stronger age verification tools and a possible delay in children’s access to social media, such as setting a minimum age of 16.
Von der Leyen called for digital platforms to be built with “safety by design” at their core. She also stressed the importance of stronger media literacy and shared responsibility between parents, policymakers, technology companies, and wider society. The aim, she said, is to help children use the online world with greater awareness, confidence, and resilience.
The European Commission President travelled to Copenhagen, Denmark, for the summit, which took place on 11 and 12 May 2026. The event included the presence of HM King Frederik X of Denmark, HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh, Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen, Secretary-General of Save the Children Denmark, Niels Lund, Chair of the Board of Save the Children Denmark, and James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media.
In a separate announcement on 13 May 2026, the European Commission adopted a new Global Health Resilience Initiative. The initiative sets out the EU’s strategy for strengthening prevention, preparedness, and response to future health threats.
The Commission said the initiative positions the EU as a reliable and frontline actor in global health. It aims to close resilience gaps in health systems and support quicker responses to health threats and crises in an interconnected world.
The new strategy is based on cooperation with international partners and a strong multilateral system. It also supports the EU’s strategic autonomy and competitiveness, while helping partner countries move away from aid dependence and towards stronger health sovereignty.
The Global Health Resilience Initiative identifies five main priority areas for EU action in global health.
The first priority is to promote a more effective and less fragmented global health architecture. The Commission said current challenges, including financing gaps, need to be addressed through better coordination. The EU will continue supporting joint global health efforts and has already mobilized more than €6 billion for health investments through the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument Global Europe. Health is also a key pillar of Global Gateway, the EU’s external investment arm.
The second priority is to support resilient and country-led health systems. The Commission said strong national health systems are essential for crisis response, continuity of care, and public protection. The EU will support partner countries in building health sovereignty through investment and expertise sharing, with a focus on primary health care.
The third priority is to strengthen international prevention, preparedness, and response to global health threats and crises. The EU plans to reinforce global networks for detecting and responding to epidemic threats. It will also work to improve the availability of medical countermeasures, including vaccines, therapeutics, and diagnostics. A global health and resilience tracker will also be supported to map global health expenditure.
The fourth priority is to diversify global supply chains and manufacturing for key health products. The Commission said the initiative will support EU competitiveness while encouraging partnerships with businesses and authorities in partner countries. It will also promote European medical science and technology, expand manufacturing capacity, and support local infrastructure, skills, and jobs.
As part of this work, the EU will support supply chain diversification, the development of key health products, and international knowledge exchange on medical countermeasures and surge capacity. It will also accelerate EU investment tools, including the Team Europe Initiative on manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines and health technologies, known as MAV+.
The fifth priority is to strengthen societal resilience by building trust in science and countering health disinformation and misinformation. The initiative aims to improve access to reliable scientific data, support public health communication with partner countries, and help ensure global health policymaking remains based on scientific evidence and cooperation.
To put these priorities into action, the Global Health Resilience Initiative includes nine flagship measures at national, regional, and global levels. These measures aim to improve preparedness, strengthen coordination, and build more resilient health systems around the world. Implementation is expected to begin between 2026 and 2027.
The initiative builds on the European Health Union, the Preparedness Union Strategy, the EU Global Health Strategy, and Global Gateway investments in partner countries.
Through Global Gateway and the Team Europe approach, the EU says it is using public and private resources to help partners address investment gaps and improve their ability to anticipate, prevent, detect, and respond to cross-border health threats.
The Commission also pointed to existing EU health programmes, including MAV+, which has invested around €2 billion to support manufacturing and access to vaccines, medicines, and health technologies in Africa.
The EU has also pledged €700 million to the Global Fund. In 2024 and 2025, the EU and its Member States contributed €1.7 billion to the World Health Organization. Horizon Europe has contributed nearly €1 billion to health-related research and innovation, while the EU4Health programme allocated more than €130 million to international partners between 2022 and 2024. In humanitarian settings, €745 million was directed to health-related interventions between 2022 and 2025.
Together, the two developments show how the European Commission is placing greater focus on resilience across different areas, from protecting children in the digital environment to strengthening global health systems against future crises.
Key points
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Ursula von der Leyen participated in the European Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Children on 12 May 2026.
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The summit focused on child safety, AI, social media risks, age verification, and digital responsibility.
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The European Commission adopted the Global Health Resilience Initiative on 13 May 2026.
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The initiative focuses on global health preparedness, stronger health systems, supply chains, science trust, and crisis response.
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Implementation of the initiative’s nine flagship measures is expected to begin between 2026 and 2027.
European Commission / European Commission Audiovisual Service.
Image credit if using the official photo: © European Union, 2026, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Photo by Christophe Licoppe / EC Audiovisual Service.
Editorial Note: This article is intended for informational and educational purposes only. It provides analytical insights based on publicly available information and does not constitute financial, legal, or political advice. Readers are encouraged to consult official sources and expert advisors for verified guidance.
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