By Martin Banks - 2nd September 2008
I'm grateful for the support from the majority of MEPs who have given political impetus in what so far has been a rather bureaucratic process. We need to encourage member state governments to take up the mantle
Edward McMillan-Scott MEP
MEPs have welcomed the adoption of a written declaration on emergency cooperation in recovering missing children.
The move, inspired by the disappearance of Madeline McCann in May 2007, was formally adopted in plenary with the backing of 418 MEPs.
More than half of the assembly’s 785 MEPs need to sign a written declaration for it to become the official position of parliament.
The written declaration was brought forward by several deputies, include British MEPs Edward McMillan-Scott and Diana Wallis.
It calls on member states to introduce a missing child alert system, activation of which would require all the child’s details being sent to the relevant news media, border authorities and customs and law enforcement agencies.
McMillan-Scott said: "I'm grateful for the support from the majority of MEPs who have given political impetus in what so far has been a rather bureaucratic process. We need to encourage member state governments to take up the mantle.
“If we can afford to issue severe weather warnings, we can also afford to issue warnings about missing children.”
Since 2003, 400 American children have been found - 80 per cent within the crucial first 72 hours - through the justice department's amber alert system.
In Europe, only France has a similar state-funded 'severe weather warning' style missing child alert, which uses TV and radio flashes, messages on motorway gantries and town centre information boards."
Wallis said: "We need to convince all member states that ad hoc cooperation is not enough - territorial objections cannot stand in the way of such an initiative either - we need something more systematic and coordinated. In cases of child abduction, time is of the essence."
The declaration calls for the development of a common organisation to provide assistance and training to national bodies and points out that there is no Europe-wide alert system for child disappearances nor any local or national systems throughout much of the EU.
The declaration, together with the names of the signatories, has now been forwarded to the commission and council.
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