Directive (EU) 2024/1385 establishes EU-wide minimum criminal protections against violence against women and domestic violence, with explicit provisions for the digital age. Article 5 specifically criminalizes the production and dissemination of non-consensual intimate or manipulated material, including deepfakes that depict sexual activities and would falsely appear authentic.

• Production, manipulation, or distribution of intimate visual or audio material without consent
• Deepfakes that “appreciably resemble” a real person and would falsely appear authentic to others
• Threats to engage in such conduct, alongside the underlying acts

• Member states must transpose into national criminal law by 14 June 2027
• Effective and rapid removal mechanisms required, including binding judicial removal orders against intermediaries
• Victim support services, online reporting tools, and evidence preservation obligations
• Specific penalty levels left to member states; minimum thresholds defined in the Directive