Commission steps up efforts to better protect children in EU

For the third consecutive year, the European Commission is supporting the International Missing Children’s Day on 25 May, organised by the European Federation for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children of which the main purpose is to spread a message of hope and solidarity at the international level. To strengthen its actions in favour of children and young people, the Commission adopted a Communication “Towards an EU strategy on the rights of the child” on 4 July 2006 which advocated the setting up of a “European Forum for the Rights of the Child” as an instrument for promoting the effective exchange of information and good practices and establishing a network of stakeholders in this field. The first meeting of the Forum will be held on 4 June in Berlin.

“The rights of children and the protection of children against violence and sexual exploitation are a priority for me and the European Commission. Today, in the framework of the G8 Justice and Interior Ministers Meeting in Munich, I will discuss the means to combat sexual abuse of children, in particular, prosecuting sexual offences committed abroad and stepping up international efforts to fight child pornography. I have asked my fellow G8 ministers to wear the Myosotis (Forget-me-not-flower) today as a token of their solidarity with missing children and their families and as a sign of their commitment to protect children’s rights, which indeed requires a global approach”, stated Vice-President Frattini, EU Commissioner responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security. Adding that “the public support shown throughout Europe to the parents of the four-year-old British girl Madeleine McCann, who disappeared on 3 May in Portugal, has illustrated European citizens’ solidarity with the families of missing children and the importance they attach to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our children”.

On the occasion of the International Missing Children’s Day, Vice-President Frattini has also asked, for the third consecutive year, all staff of the European Union institutions, to show their solidarity to the affected families by wearing a ‘Forget-me-not’ (Myosotis) flower.

As a follow up to the communication “Towards an EU strategy on the rights of the child”, the European Forum for the rights of the child will be launched in Berlin on 4 June 2007, in the presence of the EU Ministers for Justice. This will bring together key players – Member States, Ombudspersons for children, Council of Europe, Unicef, Non-Governmental Organisations, civil society and other stakeholders. It is aimed at bringing stakeholders together in a common work place. Such a common work place will be essential to share existing expertise, information, actions, results and good practices and to develop them further, to reach full implementation. The question of how to ensure meaningful children’s participation in the Forum will be at the forefront of the first session of the Forum. Vice President Frattini will give the inaugural speech, entitled “Towards an EU strategy on the rights of the child”. In the afternoon of 4 June a High level meeting will be organised with experts discussing the theme of Child pornography and pederasty: medical therapy, prevention, law enforcement procedures, as well as how action on the use of credit cards can contribute to decreasing access to child pornography.

To find out more about Vice President Frattini’s work please visit his website: http://www.ec.europa.eu/commission_barroso/frattini/index_en.htm