Brussels, 16.06.03

At its last meeting, the European Convention on the Future of Europe finalised its debates on the draft EU Constitutional Treaty. The European Children’s Network, EURONET, congratulates the members of the Convention for having included in the final text of the future European Constitution the protection of children's rights as part of the objectives of the Union.

For the first time in the history of the EU, children and their rights are getting the recognition they deserve.

EURONET acknowledged in the Convention process, from its very beginning, a crucial opportunity to raise once again the issue of the invisibility of children in the Treaties of the European Union. Our members and other supporting organisations, together with European children and young people have since been actively involved in advocating for the mainstreaming of children into the EU Treaty to ensure that the best interests of the child is taken into account in all EU policies, legislation and programs.

The Convention has now included in the revised text of Part One of the Treaty (CONV 797/1/03) of 13 June 2003, a clear reference to the “protection of children’s rights” in the internal and external actions of the Union (article 3.3 and 3.4). EURONET is fully supporting the text of these 2 articles and will urge the IGC to adopt it as it stands.

Part of EURONET’s campaign for the recognition of children’s rights by the EU was the involvement of children themselves. National children’s consultations on the Future of Europe were organised from last year, with its culmination at the conference “Children and the Future of Europe” organised by EURONET on 3 April 2003. This conference gathered children (aged 12-17) from 11 EU member states and candidate countries, who debated the future of Europe for 2 days and exchanged ideas with several Convention members.

EURONET will be delighted to report back to the children the good news: that they have been listened to and that some of their concerns have been included in the new European Draft Constitution.

Press Contacts:

Mieke Schuurman
+31 6 222 05 680
mieke.schuurman@tiscali.nl

Carolina Santrich
+32 (0)485/74 86 01
Europeanchildrenetwork@skynet.be