The European Age Verification Application is ready, announces von der Leyen, while Europe tries to limit children's access to social networks.

The EU age verification application for online platforms is technically ready and will be available soon, said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday, in the context of member states advancing with their plans to limit children's access to social networks.

Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, emphasized the importance of parental responsibility in raising children and stated that the application will help parents, teachers, and caregivers protect children from inappropriate online content.

"We are moving forward with maximum speed and determination in implementing our European rules. We are holding online platforms accountable," von der Leyen said at a press conference in Brussels alongside the head of the EU's digital department, Henna Virkkunen.

"This application provides parents, teachers, and caregivers with a powerful tool to protect children. We will have zero tolerance towards companies that do not respect the rights of our children."

The European Commission will implement a coordination mechanism to ensure age verification in each national system.

The application meets the highest privacy standards, is compatible with any device, and is open source.

This will allow users to demonstrate that they are of the necessary age to access content with legal restrictions, such as pornography or gambling materials.

The announcement comes in the context of an upcoming videoconference organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, which will discuss the banning of social networks for minors in the EU, in order to have a coordinated approach within the community bloc.