There’s an ongoing debate in some countries about restricting smartphones for children and teenagers, with some introducing measures to get phones out of school.
As more European countries consider the future of children’s lives online, some have put forth measures that would stop them from using their smartphones in schools.
A UNESCO report on global education released in 2023 called for phones to be used in class only to support learning. A new analysis this year from the UN agency found that more than 60 countries now have such measures in place.
Some reports have said that smartphones can cause distractions while children are learning, though experts say there are arguments in favour of their use in school as well.
“Nobody has the answer to whether banning them in schools is a good thing or a bad thing,” said Ben Carter, a professor of medical statistics at King’s College London who studies the impact of technology and devices on children.
He said that some teachers use them as teaching aids or to deliver homework, while others argue that they can create distractions.
“When they’re using their smartphone for completing homework, if they’ve got their notifications on, they’ll get told about the WhatsApp message that’s just been sent by another person from a different class,” Carter said, adding that the evidence on banning them is mixed.
Here’s a look at some of the European countries that have banned smartphones in schools or where the legislation stands.
France
In France, cell phones have been prohibited in primary and secondary schools since 2018. This year, the government went further to restrict cell phones in nearly 200 schools as part of a test of a “digital break”.
This means that 50,000 students had an extended phone ban throughout the school day to reinforce the 2018 law.
United Kingdom
A Labour MP in the UK recently proposed a new bill that aims to tackle addictive phone use in children which will have a second reading in the House of Commons on March 7, 2025.
The bill was set to include a measure to ban smartphones from schools, but the UK government told Euronews Next that it is not planning to implement a smartphone or social media ban for children.
“We are focused on finding the best way of ensuring young people are kept safe while also benefiting from the latest technology,” a Department for Science, Innovation & Technology spokesperson said, adding that the Online Safety Act as it comes into effect will provide further protections.
The Department for Education, however, did issue non-statutory guidance this year in England on how schools should implement a mobile phone ban, saying it was for school leaders to decide on their policies.
According to a survey by Ipsos in September, there is support among the public for a measure banning phones in school. Seven in 10 UK adults surveyed said they would support students putting their phones in a container during class.
Netherlands
A ban on the non-educational use of smartphones entered into force in the Netherlands in January this year for primary and secondary schools.
ADVERTISEMENTThe ban includes smartwatches and tablets in school, according to the Dutch government, which said smartphones can lead to poor performance and concentration problems among students.
There are exceptions, however, for students with a disability, special education needs, or if needed for learning.
Italy
In Italy, the use of mobile phones in the classroom is banned even for educational purposes between pre-school and secondary school, based on a ministerial decree.
There is an exception, however, if they are needed to support individualised education or students with disabilities.
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Starting in September 2024, Hungary implemented a nationwide ban on phones in schools. There were reports of protests after the decree, with the head of the teacher’s union calling the move outdated.
Spain
At the beginning of the year, Spain’s education minister discussed phone policy in schools with regional representatives to form a common response to the issue.
At the time, the ministry said that around seven regions in Spain had implemented policies on mobile phone use in schools.
The ministry confirmed to Euronews Next that the use of phones in school is a policy handled by the regions.
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There is work underway in Ireland to establish a way to store phones to implement a nationwide ban on mobile phones in schools.
“A significant once-off investment of €9 million has been secured for this scheme, which it is intended will be in place before the end of the school year,” a Department of Education spokesperson told Euronews Next.
“The secure, safe, and lockable storage solutions, such as pouches, will be owned by the schools and can be reused into the future,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that this will not be a change for many schools but would make sure there is consistency across the school system “to implement a no mobile phone policy”.
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In Sweden, mobile phones are not allowed in classrooms unless they are being used for learning purposes, with school officials deciding on how they are used. Local reports say the government wants to go further.
The country’s public health agency also recentlyissued guidance on children and screen time, stating that children under the age of two should not use any digital media and older children should limit screen time.
Belgium
The French-speaking community of Belgium, known as the Wallonia-Brussels Federation, decided to ban the recreational use of mobile phones and other electronic devices in schools starting in the 2025/2026 school year.
The community’s education minister, Valérie Glatigny, said in a statement that the objectives of the ban were to “improve students’ focus and have a healthier learning environment”.
ADVERTISEMENTGreece
As of this academic year, students in Greece are required to keep their mobile phones inside their bags during the school day.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriákos Mitsotákis said in August that the evidence was overwhelming about mobile phone use in school.
“From distraction to other important issues, it is clear that mobile phones have no place in school during the day,” he said.
Latvia
Students in Latvia up to grade 6 will no longer be allowed to use mobile phones from May 31, 2025.
ADVERTISEMENTThere can be exceptions, however, when phones are required as part of the learning process, according to a statement from the Saeima, the Latvian parliament.
Luxembourg
From Easter 2025, smartphones will be banned in primary schools for children up to age 11, according to the education ministry.
In high schools, students must have “physical distance” between their smartphones during class, with schools free to introduce additional limits.
“I am concerned about the effects of excessive smartphone and social media use on our children,” Luxembourg’s education minister Claude Meisch said in a statement.
ADVERTISEMENT“What is important is the right balance between the digital world and real-life… To achieve this balance, we need clear rules. At home. At school. In our society,” he added.
Finland
The Finnish government plans to amend legislation to give school officials more power to stop disruptions in the classroom.
A proposal set to be adopted next year would have students only be allowed to use their phones for learning purposes or health reasons, according to the Ministry of Education and Culture.
Where else is considering a ban and are they effective?
A host of other European countries are considering some form of restriction on smartphones in schools or have some limits in place including Denmark, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and Portugal among others.
ADVERTISEMENTThe Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2022 report found that “school phone bans appear to be effective in reducing distractions in class”.
But the report also said that across OECD countries, nearly 30 per cent of students in schools with a ban reported using their smartphone multiple times a day, showing “that cell phone bans are not always effectively enforced”.
Carter at King’s College London added that he thinks the UK legislation being considered to make phones safer is “sensible, needed and well-timed”.
“But we need to realise that we can’t ban smartphones for under 16s if we don’t give them an [alternative]… for educational purposes [and] if we can’t replace it with anything”.
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