18.3.2010 |
EN |
Official Journal of the European Union |
CE 67/38 |
Combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography
P6_TA(2009)0040
European Parliament recommendation of 3 February 2009 to the Council on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (2008/2144(INI))
(2010/C 67 E/06)
The European Parliament,
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having regard to the proposal for a recommendation to the Council by Roberta Angelilli on behalf of the UEN Group on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (B6-0216/2008), |
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having regard to Article 24 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union which enshrines children's right to protection and care, |
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having regard to Article 34 of UN Convention of 20 November 1989 on the Rights of the Child and the Optional Protocol thereto of 25 May 2000 on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography (‘the Optional Protocol’), |
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having regard to Council Framework Decision 2004/68/JHA of 22 December 2003 on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (1) (‘the Framework Decision’), |
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having regard to the report from the Commission of 16 November 2007 based on Article 12 of the Council Framework Decision of 22 December 2003 on combating the sexual exploitation of children and child pornography (COM(2007)0716) (‘the Commission Report’), |
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having regard to the Council of Europe Convention of 13 July 2007 on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse (‘the CoE Convention’), |
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having regard to its resolution of 16 January 2008: Towards an EU strategy on the rights of the child (2), |
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having regard to the findings of the Rio de Janeiro Pact to Prevent and Stop Sexual Exploitation of Children agreed on 25-28 November 2008 at the III World Congress against the Sexual Exploitation of Children and Adolescents, |
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having regard to Rule 114(3) of its Rules of Procedure, |
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having regard to the report of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs and the opinion of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (A6-0012/2009), |
A. |
whereas the CoE Convention signed by twenty EU Member States is the first international legal instrument to categorise the various forms of sexual abuse of children as criminal offences, including such abuse, perpetrated inter alia with the use of force, coercion or threats, even within the family, |
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whereas seven Member States have still not signed the CoE Convention and eight Member States have still not ratified the Optional Protocol, |
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whereas children make a constantly growing use of new technologies and whereas an increasingly significant part of the social life of children and young people takes place online where continually evolving advanced technologies and communication tools are used; whereas as a consequence the Internet is increasingly being used by potential and actual sex offenders for preparing the sexual abuse of children, in particular through grooming and child pornography, |
1. |
Addresses the following recommendations to the Council:
Implementation of the Framework Decision
Revision of the Framework Decision
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Instructs its President to forward this recommendation to the Council, and, for information, to the Commission and to the Members States. |
(1) OJ L 13, 20.1.2004, p. 44.
(2) Texts adopted, P6_TA(2008)0012.