EU Commissioner Recognises Industry Action On Child Digital Safety At Effie Awards

European commissioner Michael McGrath publicly recognised the communications industry’s engagement with child digital safety during the Effie Awards Europe Gala, held last week at the Art and History Museum in Brussels. The event was organised by the European Association of Communications Agencies (EACA), the voice of over 2500 agencies across the region.

The commissioner celebrated the EACA Campaign4Good winners from Innocean Berlin for their campaign 'Terms, Conditions & Children', praising it as a timely and necessary contribution to systemic reform in the digital environment. In his speech, he highlighted the campaign’s alignment with EU priorities, including the Digital Services Act and the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act:

“[Terms, Conditions & Children] it's a campaign that supports the broader shifts we are trying to achieve in the European Union which is about strengthening accountability and ensuring that the very design serves the best interests of children," said the commissioner. “Ensuring their protection online is a top priority for the European Commission as I know it is for EACA as well”.

Developed after a brief from the EACA and their partners the 5Rights Foundation, the winning campaign by Mario Andric, Linda Neumann, and Axel Fonteyne challenges the dense and often opaque terms digital platforms require children to accept. It advocates for responsibility to shift from users to providers, a message strongly echoed in the commissioner’s remarks.

Selected from nearly 50 submissions across Europe, the campaign will now be produced and launched pro bono across the continent in Q1 2026, supported by EACA members and media partners.

The inaugural Campaign4Good theme, 'Safety by Design', reflects the growing regulatory momentum behind child digital rights in Europe, including the forthcoming Digital Fairness Act. Michael affirmed the EU’s commitment to this agenda, calling the campaign “a very timely reminder of how responsible advertising can drive positive change in the 21st century.”

“Having commissioner McGrath acknowledge the Campaign4Good initiative on such a prominent stage brings well-deserved visibility to the work EACA is doing to elevate the role of our industry in key policy conversations. It also shines a light on the tireless efforts of our head of public affairs, Mónika Magyar, who has been instrumental in building bridges with EU policymakers, from the launch of Campaign4Good in Strasbourg, where we welcomed eight MEPs, to our upcoming 'Value of Communications & Marketing' breakfast with MEP Manuela Ripa in early 2026,” said Charley Stoney, CEO of EACA.

“This recognition underscores  how seriously we take our responsibility as an industry, and how advertising, when done ethically and strategically, can help shape a more responsible and inclusive society.”