Belgium and Estonia are the only two EU member states that have not signed a political declaration aimed at strengthening online protection for minors, it emerged on Friday.
Federal Minister Vanessa Matz expressed regret over Flanders' decision to block Belgium's participation.
"In recent weeks, with broad political and scientific support, I have made every effort to enable our country to join this joint initiative," said Matz (Les Engagés) in a statement.
"Because of an objection from Flanders, Belgium cannot co-sign the ministerial declaration today. Regrettably, this veto prevents Belgium from standing alongside its European partners on such a fundamental issue as the protection of minors online," she added.
The "Jutland Declaration," an initiative of Denmark's presidency of the EU Council, has been well received across the Union.
Ministers from 25 of the 27 EU member states have signed it, along with representatives from Norway and Iceland, which are not EU members.
The declaration notes that children and adolescents are frequently exposed to "illegal, harmful or extremist content," as well as to inappropriate contacts via social media.
It also highlights the adverse effects of excessive social media use on mental health, sleep, well-being and academic performance.
In September, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said she was considering setting a minimum age for using social media. A group of experts is expected to advise the Commission by the end of the year on the best approach to take.
The Jutland Declaration welcomes this initiative and calls for privacy-respecting age verification on social networks and other relevant digital services.
Signatories stress that such tools are essential to "mitigate the negative impact of illegal and inappropriate content, harmful commercial practices, addictive or manipulative design, and excessive data collection, particularly affecting minors."
The declaration also invites further reflection on the concept of a "digital legal age," a still-evolving notion gaining traction as online platforms increasingly shape young people’s social lives.
Contacted by Belga, Flemish Media Minister Cieltje Van Achter (N-VA) said the measures proposed in the declaration appeared "disproportionate."
She argued that protecting minors online should not require generalised identification tools such as Itsme to access platforms like YouTube or Instagram.
Such an obligation, she said, would represent a fundamental shift warranting a broader societal debate.
