EU prepares to impose internet restrictions on more than 65 million people

However, the bloc is waiting for a panel of "experts" on online child safety to finish deliberations before moving to impose restrictions on tens of millions of young Europeans.

Speaking at a conference in Copenhagen on Tuesday, Mrs von der Leyen said she believed Brussels must "consider a social media delay".

She added: “Depending on the results, we could come up with a legal proposal this summer."

The EU chief piled on praise for Australia's approach, saying: “We are witnessing the lightning speed at which technology is advancing - and how it penetrates every corner of childhood and adolescence.

“Childhood and early adolescence are formative years, and I believe we should give our children more time to become resilient in this vulnerable phase.”

However, fears are mounting that the measure could spark an intense standoff with Donald Trump - who threatened to impose tariffs on countries that "discriminate" against US tech companies through regulations, legislation and taxes.

In August, the President wrote on his Truth Social platform: “Digital taxes, legislation, rules or regulations are all designed to harm, or discriminate against, American technology.

“As the President of the United States, I will stand up to countries that attack our incredible American tech companies."

The proposals for an EU-wide ban for youngsters comes after France announced it would become the first European country to adopt Australia-style restrictions on its citizens.

In March, the French Senate voted to outlaw under-15s from accessing social media platforms, including Facebook, Snapchat, TikTok and YouTube.

Emmanuel Macron claimed that Bill was a "major step" in protecting the country's youth.

A host of other EU member states have said they are weighing up restrictions of their own - including Ireland, Germany, Spain, Denmark and Greece.

Austria has also unveiled plans to enforce a ban for under 14s - with Vienna vowing not to stand by while children become "addicted and also often ill" due to social media use.

However, not all EU members have been supportive of a bloc-wide ban - with Poland and Estonia arguing the matter should be left to national governments to decide.

Last month, Sir Keir Starmer summoned social media bosses to Downing Street as Labour considers its own Australia-style ban for Britain's youth.

That came before a major warning from Baroness Fox that demands to ban social media for under-16s are “authoritarian” and driven by “moral panic”.

The meeting came midway through the Government's consultation on how to protect children online, which has considered a blanket social media ban for under-16s, limits on addictive features, and mobile phone bans in schools.

Senior figures from TikTok, X, Meta, and other US social media companies were invited to the meeting with the Prime Minister.

Some social media companies have already implemented protective measures for younger users, such as disabling autoplay.

But they have pushed back against a blanket under-16 ban, with Google UK's boss warning it is not the "right approach".

But on the Labour benches, MPs are desperate to impose internet crackdowns at once - and have compared opponents of social media bans to paedophiles.

Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips resigned on Tuesday in protest against the PM - and complained at how long it was taking for the Government to introduce new laws targeting "every phone and device in the country" as she did so.