European Union Mario delivers its first advocacy message

Project : MARIO 14 Jul 2010 | child rights protection systems victim protection

Belgium, Brussels: On the occasion of the submission by the European Commission of a proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, and protecting victims, repealing Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA, Mario partners submitted comments and recommendations on the proposed text.

The first advocacy statement of MARIO project was conveyed to the two rapporteurs on this issue, the members of the European Parliament Anna Hedh and Edit Bauer, with the aim to foster the adoption of amendments on the text in order to make it more child sensitive and enhance the protection component as enshrined in the directive.

The main recommendations of the paper are:

• To enhance the assistance and protection measures dedicated to children, especially the appointment of a guardian at the very beginning of the process.
• To ensure a regular and periodic individual assessment of the situation of (potential) child victims
• To include more detailed provision on the identification and referral mechanisms that shall be set up by Member States
• To overcome the lack of consistency between different EU instruments, especially on the migration status of victims and their right to compensation
• To follow the proposition of the European Parliament to set up an anti trafficking coordinator and/or subsequent coordinating mechanisms including the national rapporteurs
• To foster cooperation and coordination mechanisms between member states, as well as with third countries, to address the root causes of trafficking in persons in countries of origin, transit and destination, and enhance protection of victims

The proposal is currently being discussed within the commissions of the European Parliament and will also be submitted to the Council of the European Union according to the ordinary legislative procedure. Mario partners will keep on closely following the developments at a later stage and continue to advocate for a directive in line with children’s rights.

A common NGO statement endorsed by the Terre des Hommes International Federation, Amnesty International, Save the Children, ECPAT international, La Strada International and the Church’s commission for migrants in Europe was also presented at a previous hearing held by the two rapporteurs.

Mario statement builds on the previous one and promotes a more child sensitive approach to the document, based on Mario partners’ extensive field experience in Central and South Eastern Europe. [PC]