8TH MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS’ GROUP ON FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS, ANTI-DISCRIMINATION AND EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

? Communication on the rights of the child

(Point of discussion)

- President Barroso underlined the significance of the proposal and confirmed his

attachment to an ambitious political strategy covering the internal and the external

dimension of the rights of the child. To this end, he noted the importance of enhanced

inter-service work based on the political guidance of the Group.

- VP Frattini agreed on the significance of the proposal and confirmed that it will cover the

internal and the external dimension of European action on the rights of the child. He

proposed to present it in agreement with all the members of the Group and any other

interested Commissioners. VP Frattini noted the intensive and open preparatory work

done, involving all interested parties from an early stage, which had allowed the proposal

to receive support from key external actors (i.e. the Council of Europe, the UN). He

confirmed the organisation of an inter-service group in order to further discuss the draft

proposal, planned for adoption on 13 June 2006.

- While firmly supporting the initiative, VP Wallström raised a series of issues as regards

the current draft text. In particular, she noted the need for balance between the

methodological and formal aspects of the proposal and its political objectives, which

should be clearly put forward. In this sense, she proposed to follow a selective and

realistic approach, focusing on concrete measures and areas where action should be

enhanced, within a comprehensible timetable. In particular, she expressed concern as

regards the creation of a European Forum on the rights of the child, with which the

European Parliament might disagree, and suggested exploring the use of existing

structures.

- Mr Špidla gave his support to the proposal and, as regards its social dimension, he

pointed to the use of the open method of coordination.

4

Conclusions:

? The Group confirmed its support for the proposal, which should be an ambitious

and solid text presenting, in a balanced way, on the one hand, a political and

strategic vision of the internal and the external dimension of action as regards the

rights of the child and, on the other hand, a series of co-operation and

methodological mechanisms to ensure delivery. The Group made a number of

suggestions to improve the current proposal, which will be considered in the revised

version of the text.

? The proposal will be presented as a common initiative, involving the members of the

Group and any other Commissioners concerned.

? June was confirmed as the date for the adoption of the proposal. To this end, DG

JLS will lead the final stage of the preparatory work and convene an inter-service

meeting at the appropriate level, to allow the services concerned to contribute

substantially to the proposal before launching the formal inter-service consultation.