Brussels, 25/05/2005 (Agence Europe) - During 25 May, the International Missing Children's Day, Vice-President of the Commission, Franco Frattini, Commissioner in charge of Justice, Freedom and Security, told reporters in Brussels: 'I am personally committed to improving the situation of children.' The main aim of International Missing Children's Day is to encourage people to remember all the children who have gone missing in Europe and the rest of the world and to send an international message of hope and solidarity to parents who have no information about the whereabouts and fate of their children. Frattini said that at the end of 2005 or the beginning of 2006, he would be proposing 'a comprehensive strategy on the protection of children.' The Commission will also be unveiling a type of European 'Pact for the child', said Frattini, to help Member States in protecting children through legislative or financial support or by an exchange of existing good practice in the field. The Commissioner said he imagined one phase would involve European celebrities from the cultural world, associations etc, noting the importance of listening to people involved in this area. He highlighted the importance of providing greater protection to witnesses and victims wanting to work with the authroties in stamping out crime. In answer to a reporter's question, Frattini said that the protection of people who had the courage to speak out, the courage to name and shame, would be included in the measures the Commission will be publishing.
Franco Frattini said that 'the protection of children's rights is one of my principal priorities as well as being a priority of this Commission', which is why the Commission is supporting the International Missing Children's Day, when events will be organised in 14 European countries: Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Finland, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, Romania and the United Kingdom. Frattini said the Commission wanted to increase the visibility of the issue and debate in civil society surrounding it; to encourage public and private initiatives to fund concrete initiatives to combat the disappearance of children; and to boost the legislation currently being introduced and further legislation in the future.
International Missing Children's Day was organised in Europe for the first time in 2002 on the initiative of Child Focus, the Belgian-based European Centre for Missing and Sexually Exploited Children. 25 May has been commemorated in the United States since 1983 and marks the date of the disappearance of a six-year old boy who has never been found. The forget-me-not has been chosen as a symbol for this event because of its name and because it flowers abundantly at this time of year.