Local Euro MP calls on Europe to toughen its fight against child trafficking

12.33.53pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Sep 2008

Local Liberal Democrat Euro MP, Diana Wallis, is calling on Member States and the EU institutions to toughen their fight against child trafficking. A cross-party Written Declaration, co-sponsored by Ms. Wallis, has achieved an absolute majority of signatures (currently 409 out of 785). It calls for the fight against child trafficking to be made a priority in national child protection policies, for greater exchange of information and cooperation between Member States, EU institutions, and NGOs. The document will now be forwarded to the European Commission and the Council for further action.

Diana Wallis MEP, said:

"I am delighted that we are sending such a strong message to the European Commission and the Council on this pressing issue. It is outrageous that some EU countries are still dragging their feet on the related question of the cross-border missing child alert, or "Amber Alert" system. Together with the French Presidency, we in the European Parliament hope to reach an agreement despite such national resistances to this common sense and practical improvement."

ENDS

notes:

0050/2008

Written declaration on combating the trafficking of children

The European Parliament,

• having regard to Articles 34 and 35 of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child,

• having regard to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in

Human Beings,

• having regard to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,

• having regard to Rule 116 of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas child trafficking is still a persistent problem, with more than two million children

annually trafficked for forced labour and sexual exploitation,

B. whereas the development of new communication technologies increases the trafficking in

children, making the managing of this phenomenon more difficult,

C. whereas national authorities and NGOs in the Member States are still not acting efficiently

against child trafficking, due to insufficient cross-border cooperation, lack of specialised

training or inadequate implementation of existing legal standards,

1. Calls on the Member States to recognise the fight against child trafficking as a priority

objective in their national child protection policies;

2. Calls on the European Parliament and the Council to provide the necessary resources in

the framework of the Commission's strategy on promoting and safeguarding children's

rights;

3. Calls on the Member States to continue actively cooperating and exchanging knowledge

and experience with the relevant EU authorities and NGOs, in order to prevent and

combat child trafficking, and provide adequate treatment for victims of such trafficking;

4. Instructs its President to forward this declaration, together with the names of the

signatories, to the Council and the Commission.