Commissione europea
Comunicato stampa
Bruxelles, 10 aprile 2014
Diritti dei minori: consultazione pubblica della Commissione
Quali misure sono più efficaci per combattere la violenza sui minori? Quali le principali sfide per i sistemi nazionali di protezione dei minori? Come può aiutare l'Unione? Per rispondere a queste domande la Commissione europea lancia oggi una consultazione pubblica online. Lo scopo è aiutare gli Stati membri a sviluppare sistemi di protezione dei minori integrati e efficaci. I contributi della consultazione confluiranno negli orientamenti con cui l'UE informerà sulla legislazione e sulle politiche dell'UE in materia. La consultazione permetterà di verificare se l'UE può sostenere i sistemi nazionali di protezione dei minori e individuerà le buone pratiche in quest'ambito in contesti transfrontalieri e nazionali. La consultazione online è aperta fino al 3 luglio a tutti i cittadini e a tutte le organizzazioni che si occupano di protezione di bambini e ragazzi.
"È responsabilità dell'Unione europea proteggere i cittadini più vulnerabili. Oggi, tre anni dopo la presentazione del programma UE per i diritti dei minori, i fatti parlano: la Commissione ha adottato norme per tutelare meglio i minori vittime di reati o indagati in procedimenti penali. Abbiamo attivato in tutta Europa il numero verde per i minori scomparsi e offerto formazione a tutori e autorità pubbliche che operano a stretto contatto con i minori non accompagnati. È giunto il momento di cambiare marcia e di fare in modo che tutte le politiche europee e nazionali sostengano sistemi di protezione a misura di minore", ha dichiarato Viviane Reding, Vicepresidente e Commissaria per la giustizia. "Questi sistemi saranno in grado di aiutare i minori solo se potranno assicurare la collaborazione di tutti coloro che operano a contatto con bambini e ragazzi – nel campo dell'istruzione, della salute, dello Stato sociale, della giustizia, della società civile e della collettività – per creare un ambiente protettivo. È proprio questo lo scopo della consultazione che apriamo oggi: agire sempre e innanzitutto nell'interesse del minore."
Nell'UE i sistemi di protezione dei minori competono principalmente agli Stati membri. L'Unione ha però il mandato di definire norme comuni nei settori che chiamano in gioco i loro diritti: procedimenti penali, libera circolazione all'interno dell'UE, richieste di asilo o tratta di esseri umani. L'UE può essere determinante anche quando la sicurezza di un minore coinvolge due o più paesi, ad esempio quando un minore non accompagnato si sposta da un paese all'altro o quando un minore scompare. La consultazione della Commissione su come migliorare i sistemi nazionali di protezione dei minori va di pari passo con il bilancio dei progressi realizzati dal Programma UE per i diritti dei minori, adottato a febbraio 2011 (IP/11/156). A distanza di tre anni la Commissione è riuscita a realizzare le 11 azioni prioritarie del programma in una serie di ambiti: giustizia a misura di minore, protezione dei minori vulnerabili, difesa dei minori dalle violenze e partecipazione dei minori. Grazie all'impulso della Commissione, tutte queste misure sono attualmente in corso (cfr. allegato 1).
I contributi raccolti tramite la consultazione lanciata oggi sui sistemi di protezione dei minori permetteranno all'UE di fornire agli Stati membri, entro la fine del 2014, orientamenti in materia, basandosi sui risultati conseguiti nell'attuazione del programma UE per i diritti dei minori. Gli orientamenti passeranno in rassegna gli strumenti dell'UE che possono incidere sulla tutela dei diritti dei minori e daranno indicazioni su come i sistemi nazionali di protezione possono sfruttarli meglio. Come previsto dalla convenzione delle Nazioni Unite sui diritti del fanciullo, in particolare l'articolo 19 (diritto alla tutela contro ogni forma di violenza), saranno prese in considerazione tutte le forme di violenza.
Contesto
Nell'UE un minore su quattro vive in condizioni di povertà e corre notevoli rischi; ogni giorno fino a un quarto dei richiedenti asilo è costituito da minori; ogni anno vengono denunciati 250 000 casi di bambini e ragazzi scomparsi; il 15% delle vittime identificate della tratta di esseri umani è costituito da minori e più di un milione di bambini e adolescenti in Europa vive in strutture di accoglienza.
Per ulteriori informazioni
Consultazione pubblica sugli orientamenti per i sistemi di protezione dei minori:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/newsroom/fundamental-rights/opinion/140402_en.htm
I diritti dei minori nell'Unione europea:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/rights-child/index_en.htm
I sistemi di protezione dei minori nell'ambito del 7º e 8º forum europeo sui diritti dei minori:
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/rights-child/european-forum/seventh-meeting/index_en.htm
http://ec.europa.eu/justice/fundamental-rights/rights-child/european-forum/eighth-meeting/index_en.htm
Sito web di Viviane Reding, Vicepresidente e Commissaria UE per la Giustizia:
http://ec.europa.eu/reding
La vicepresidente Reding su Twitter
@VivianeRedingEU
La DG Giustizia su Twitter: @EU_Justice
Contatti:
Mina Andreeva (+32 2 299 13 82)
Natasha Bertaud (+32 2 296 74 56)
Per il pubblico: contattare Europe Direct telefonicamente allo 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 o per e-mail
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Allegato 1 - Programma UE per i diritti dei minori: punto della situazione
Priority action
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State of play as at 31.03.2014
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1. Adopting, in 2011, a proposal for a Directive on victims' rights raising the level of protection of vulnerable victims, including children;
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Directive 2012/29/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 25 October 2012 establishing minimum standards on the rights, support and protection of victims of crime, and replacing Council Framework Decision 2001/220/JHA
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2. Tabling, in 2012, a proposal for a Directive on special safeguards for suspected or accused persons who are vulnerable, including children;
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Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on procedural safeguards for children suspected or accused in criminal proceedings (COM(2013)822/2 of 27 November 2013)
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3. Revising, by 2013, the EU legislation facilitating the recognition and enforcement of decisions on parental responsibility with a view to ensuring, in the interest of the child, that decisions can be recognised and enforced as quickly as possible, including, where appropriate, the establishment of common minimum standards;
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Council Regulation 2201/2003 (Brussels IIa Regulation) entered into force in 2005 and its application is currently under evaluation.
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4. Promoting the use of the Council of Europe Guidelines of 17 November 2010 on child-friendly justice and taking them into account in future legal instruments in the field of civil and criminal justice;
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Joint training with the Council of Europe on 27 March 2012 on the Guidelines for DG Justice and DG Home staff.
EU translated Guidelines into most remaining EU languages.
The Guidelines served as a template for EU study to collect data on children's involvement in judicial proceedings (ongoing 2012-2014
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5. Supporting and encouraging the development of training activities for judges and other professionals at European level regarding the optimal participation of children in judicial systems.
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Communication COM (2011)551 final, Building trust in EU-wide justice - a new dimension to European judicial training, adopted on 13 September 2011.
Funding priority under the Fundamental Rights and Citizenship Programme in 2013 on training
Mapping of training policy in scope of study on children's involvement in justice
Fundamental Rights Agency complementary study: primary research among judicial and other practitioners on children's involvement in justice will also cover training
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6. Supporting the exchange of best practices and the improvement of training for guardians, public authorities and other actors who are in close contact with unaccompanied children (2011-2014);
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Expert meeting 21 June 2011 (DG HOME) with the objective of identifying needs of Guardians and possible EU actions to support them.
The 7th European Forum on the rights of the child in 2012 included a workshop on the role of child protection systems in protecting children on the move. This work was continued the 8th European Forum in December 2013.
Model for guardians in preparation by the Fundamental Rights Agency (mid 2014) – discussed with the Member State Delegates in the informal expert group on the rights of the child on 18 February.
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7. Paying particular attention to children in the context of the EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, which will be adopted in spring 2011 and will notably promote the more efficient use of structural funds for the integration of Roma;
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Communication COM (2011) 173 final, EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies, adopted on 5 April 2011.
Council Conclusions of 19 May 2011 on an EU Framework for National Roma Integration Strategies up to 2020.
Communication on the National Roma Integration Strategies: a first step in the implementation of the EU Framework on 23 May 2012.
Commission Communication to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions) (COM(2013)454 final) of 26 June 2013 – Steps forward implementing national Roma integration strategies
Commission proposal for a Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States (COM(2013)460 final of 26 June 2013)
Council Recommendation on effective Roma integration measures in the Member States
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8. Strongly encouraging and providing support to all Member States to ensure the swift introduction and full functioning of the 116 000 hotline for missing children and the child alert mechanisms (2011‑2012);
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116 000 hotline
The 116000 number has been assigned to and is operational in 27 Member States with Finland the only Member State remaining inactive.
First conference on 'European responses to missing children and the need for child-friendly justice' organised on 26 May 2011.
Second conference on 'Missing Children, closing the gaps' on 30 May 2012.
Third Conference on Missing Children: 116 000 hotlines: innovative approaches and challenges to funding missing children - Brussels, 4 June 2013
In 2012, 15 Member States benefited from a total of €3million in funding for setting up and running 116 000 hotlines.
In 2013, 18 Member States benefited from a total of €4.5 million in funding for setting up and running 116 000 hotlines.
Child Alert
In 2012, €600,000 was made available to set up new child alert mechanisms. Poland and Bulgaria were awarded funding.
In 2013, €600,000 was made available with SK, ES, UK and CY awarded funding.
A Special Eurobarometer on Harmonised numbers for services of social value - 116 was published in October 2011. A Eurobarometer update was published in May 2012
Website on 116 numbers (DG INFSO) online in May 2012
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9. Supporting Member States and other stakeholders in strengthening prevention, empowerment and participation of children to make the most of online technologies and counter cyber-bullying behaviour, exposure to harmful content, and other online risks namely through the Safer Internet programme and cooperation with the industry through self-regulatory initiatives (2009-2014);
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Safer Internet Programme 2012 work programme
28 leading companies formed a new Coalition to make a better and safer internet for children. http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/sip/self_reg/index_en.htm
Communication COM(2012) 196 final, European Strategy for a Better Internet for Children, adopted 2 May 2012
In 2013, the DAPHNE III Programme included priorities on anti-bullying programmes including social networks and projects to empower children to use media in a safe way
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10. Continuing the implementation of the 2007 EU Guidelines on the Protection and Promotion of the Rights of the Child that focus on combating all forms of violence against children. The EU will also evaluate the implementation of the Guidelines. The EU will implement the EU Guidelines on Children and Armed Conflicts based on the 2010 Revised Implementation Strategy;
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EU Guidelines on Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child
In February 2012, the EU organised a conference to launch a discussion on the review of the EU Guidelines on the Promotion and the Protection of the Rights of the Child.
In January 2012, the EU launched a campaign to promote the ratification of two Optional Protocols to the Convention on the rights of the child and the International Labour Organisation Convention 182 on the worst forms of child labour in more than 50 countries.
Training on children's rights
The European External Action Service organises yearly trainings on children's rights for EU institutions, EU Member States and EU delegations, in co-operation with UNICEF and Save the children. Furthermore, in 2012 The Commission's DEVCO department launched a specific online training module on child rights in development cooperation available for EU and Member State staff, in EU headquarters and in delegations. Under the Investing in people programme, the European Commission funded the compilation of a "Toolkit on the mainstreaming of child rights in development cooperation activities and programmes" in cooperation with UNICEF. The toolkit and relevant training material will be available by 2014.
Children in armed conflict
In 2012, a new multi-annual EU funding line specifically dedicated to children affected by conflict was launched. As the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to the EU for its contribution over six decades to the advancement of peace and reconciliation, democracy and human rights in Europe, the EU decided to devote the award to help children affected by conflict. The European Commission doubled the Nobel Prize money to a joint sum of €2 million, which will support humanitarian projects in the field of education in emergencies. Two additional calls for project proposals were launched in 2012 under the Instrument for Stability and Investing in People Programme.
Child labour
In 2012, the EU launched the implementation of 15 projects against child labour financed under the Investing in People Project that are worth €11.1 million.
Commission staff working document of 30 April 2013 (SWD(2013)173 final) on trade and the worst forms of child labour
Human rights country strategies
The EU has prioritized children's rights in over 60 human rights country strategies over the world.
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11. Setting up, in the course of 2011, a single entry point on EUROPA with information for children on the EU and on the rights of the child. The Commission will invite other EU institutions to join this initiative.
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The single entry point providing children with information about the EU and their rights, Kids' Corner, was launched at the end of 2011. The EU website for the Rights of the Child, dedicated to children, was launched as part of the Kids' Corner.
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