The European Union, the United States and some 20 other nations are teaming up to fight the online distribution of images of child sex abuse.

EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder held a news conference Wednesday in Brussels to announce the formation of a “global alliance” against online child abuse.

Malmstroem said there are an estimated 1 million such images online and some 50,000 new pictures uploaded every year. She said once such pictures are uploaded, they can exist forever.

Holder said the new initiative will strengthen the group's mutual resources to bring more perpetrators to justice and help more victims of sexual abuse. He said it builds on the success of cross-border efforts to dismantle international pedophile networks.

Participating nations have committed to caring for victims, strengthening efforts to prosecute offenders, reducing the availability of online child abuse material, and increasing children's awareness of online risks.