(2004/C 70 E/188)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2967/03

by Marie-Thérèse Hermange (PPE-DE) to the Commission

(8 October 2003)

Subject:   European Ombudsman for children

The European Network of Ombudsmen for Children (ENOC) was created in 1997 by Unicef at Trondheim (Norway) in order to provide a link between children's ombudsmen in Europe. The network currently includes several EU Member States: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

Each country or region which has an independent children's ombudsman may join the network, the main purpose of which is to ensure that children's rights are upheld to a greater extent in Europe by seeing that the Convention on Children's Rights is implemented, by supporting individual and collective action in the area and by encouraging the Member States to introduce relevant policies.

The network also acts as a forum for the exchange of information, experience and ideas between European countries, in particular by means of comparative studies.

Could the Commission not appoint an Ombudsman for children in order to increase the transparency and raise the profile of child-protection initiatives organised within Europe? Appointment of a European Ombudsman for children would enable the European network to be better coordinated and children's needs and interests to be better served.

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(19 November 2003)

As the Treaties stand, the Commission has no legal basis for coordinating the action of the Member States' Ombudsmen along the lines suggested by the Honourable Member.

Moreover, at the close of their meeting in Lucca (IT), on 25/26 September 2003, the Ministers responsible for children's rights in the 15 Member States made no reference to the possibility of appointing a European ombudsman in their conclusions.

In April 2003, ENOC asked the Commission for financial support for the establishment of a permanent secretariat.

In its reply to ENOC, the Commission gave a detailed account of how funding by grants operated and drew its attention to the fact that funding must be accepted by the budgetary authority, i.e. Parliament and the Council.

If ENOC wishes to receive funds from the European institutions, it must submit a dossier to that end. ENOC has not yet taken the decision to do so.