Disputes over children’s custody, particularly offspring of separated and divorced couples living in different member states, should become less acrimonious with EU legislative proposals aimed at resolving such fallouts more expediently.
Malta has had its fair share of emotional disagreements in the past years and EU legislation in this area is expected to ease the psychological impact such arguments have on children.
Presenting a 10-point Children’s Action Plan, European Justice Commissioner Viviane Reding said children’s rights were fundamental rights and the EU and its member states had to ensure they were protected and a child’s best interest given upmost consideration.
“We will work on better child-friendly justice that should ensure the rights of the child are taken into account whenever they are involved with justice systems, either as victims, suspects or when their parents divorce and disagree over custody,” she said.
The European Commission’s action plan, set to be transformed into concrete actions over the coming three years, aims to reaffirm the strong commitment of EU institutions and member states to promote, protect and fulfil the rights of the child in all relevant EU policies and to turn them into concrete results.
In the future, EU policies that affect children directly or indirectly should be designed, implemented and monitored taking into account the principle of children’s best interests.
The EU Executive said children could face severe obstacles when they were involved with justice systems and their rights could even be violated if they faced non child-friendly justice systems.
The Commission’s plan will take particular account of children as part of a proposal protecting victims of crime, safeguarding child suspects and revising existing rules in cross-border custody cases.
The Commission said it would actively protect and empower children as users of online technologies and counter cyber-bullying, grooming, exposure to harmful content and other uncomfortable experiences of using online technologies.
To raise awareness and promote active citizenship, the Commission will establish a single entry point for youngsters on its own web portal with easily accessible information on their rights and EU policies.
Action plan’s main points
• Adopting a proposal for a directive on victims’ rights, raising the level of protection of vulnerable victims, including children, in 2011.
• Tabling a proposal for a directive on special safeguards for suspected or accused persons who are vulnerable, including children, in 2012.
• Revising, by 2013, EU legislation facilitating the recognition and enforcement of decisions on parental responsibility to ensure decisions can be recognised and enforced as quickly as possible in the child’s best interest.
• Supporting and encouraging the development of training activities for judges and other professionals at a European level to secure the optimal participation of children in judicial systems.