Child Protection

Top mobile operators such as Vodafone, Deutsche Telekom, Orange Group and Telefonica agreed to work with European and national mobile phone regulators and children's protection groups to prevent minors from accessing illegal content on their mobiles.

Under the agreement, operators will fight against illegal content on mobiles and also prevent bullying, abuse, hate speech and access to illegal pornographic and violent content on phones, as well as the inappropriate use of camera phones.

The European Commission, which helped broker the voluntary deal signed by 15 European mobile phone operators, has said the new code must enter into force in 2008.

EU Commissioner Viviane Reding, responsible for telecommunications and media issues, called the agreement "an important step forward for child safety."

Mobile operators had demonstrated that "responsible self-regulation can work," she added.

Review in one year

She said that the Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- would monitor effective implementation of the voluntary deal and would review it in one year's time.

However, the Commission warned that public authorities at national and at EU level will have to monitor developments carefully and assess whether self-regulation maybe required at a later stage.

The signing of the deal coincided with Tuesday's "Safer Internet Day," which the EU is hoping to use to promote education and awareness of better online use by minors and their parents. It is also geared to protect children from so-called cyber bullying or being teased or harassed over the Internet.