| Author (Corporate) | United Kingdom: House of Lords: Select Committee on the European Union |
|---|---|
| Publisher | The Stationery Office (TSO) |
| Series Title | 2nd Report |
| Series Details | (2016-17)HL34 |
| Publication Date | 26/07/2016 |
| Content Type | Policy-making, Report |
|
The EU Home Affairs Sub-Committee of the United Kingdom's House of Lords published on 26 July 2016 a report which found that unaccompanied migrant children were being systematically let down by the European Union and its member states, including the UK. In 2015 88,245 unaccompanied children applied for asylum in the EU and a conservative estimate from EUROPOL suggested that at least 10,000 unaccompanied migrant children were currently missing in the EU. Conclusions and recommendations: + Member States across the EU are failing to share the burden collectively and little progress has been made in the relocation of unaccompanied child migrants; + Lack of action and implementation of existing measures is leading to increased vulnerability of unaccompanied children to smugglers, traffickers and organised crime; + Unaccompanied migrant children are often not believed and treated with a level of suspicion, with age disputes often adversely affecting their treatment and their well-being; + Children display a lack of trust in the authorities, and in some cases resort to drastic measures to avoid cooperating with them; + A stronger focus on developing durable solutions should be followed, retaining the principle of prioritising the child's best interests at its core; + A system of independent guardians, appointed as soon as possible to act in the child's best interests, should be established across the EU and the UK. |
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| Source Link | http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/ld201516/ldselect/ldeucom/139/139.pdf |
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| Subject Categories | Geography, Justice and Home Affairs |
| Countries / Regions | Europe, United Kingdom |
