Child migrant rights part of EU Charter

A framework for protecting the rights of EU migrant children forms part of a new report on the European Charter of Fundamental Rights. 

The European Commission has published its annual report on the charter, which brings together the fundamental rights of everyone living in the European Union.

While acknowledging that 2017 was a challenging year, the report says that the structures and tools for ensuring the protection of people’s rights were – and continue to be – in place. These include the protection of children in migration, an issue which has had to be addressed by every EU country.

‘Urgent actions’

Many children, some without parents, have been arriving in EU countries in recent years, and the report highlights last year’s ‘urgent actions’ implemented at EU and national level to recognise the scale of the challenge facing member states.

Ministers adopted European Council conclusions reaffirming that migrant children have the right to be protected, in line with relevant provisions of EU law, including the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, and with international law on the rights of the child.

Fundamental rights

Frans Timmermans, First Vice-President of the European Commission, said: “This year we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the UN Universal Declaration on Human Rights. This is a good opportunity to recall that fundamental rights, democracy and the rule of law are the three pillars that are the bedrock of the European Union. Our Charter of fundamental rights is not optional. The EU institutions are bound by it and so are the MS when implementing EU law. The Court of Justice of the EU and the national courts play an important role to uphold fundamental rights and the rule of law across the Union.”

The latest report and the charter itself are available online.