# CE2004088EN.01026501.xml

| 8.4.2004 | EN | Official Journal of the European Union | CE 88/265 |
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8.4.2004

EN

Official Journal of the European Union

CE 88/265

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(2004/C 88 E/0270)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0994/04

by Proinsias De Rossa (PSE) to the Commission

(31 March 2004)

Subject:   Child protection and future EU programmes aimed at young people

Subject:

In view of its publication on 9 March 2004 of the two communications on future education and citizenship policies after 2006, ‘The new generation of education and training programmes’ and ‘Making citizenship work’, how will the Commission ensure that the issue of child protection is comprehensively addressed in the legislative programmes on future EU education and citizenship programmes due to be issued later this year?

Answer given by Mrs Reding on behalf of the Commission

(30 April 2004)

(30 April 2004)

The Honourable Member raises the issue of child protection in the new generation of education, training and citizenship programmes planned by the Commission (1). The Commission is fully aware of the need to ensure maximum protection for young people, while respecting the different areas of competence. It has already taken a number of initiatives in the areas in which it is competent to act. Examples are Council Directive 94/33/EC on the protection of young people at work (2), the Recommendation on the development of the competitiveness of the European audiovisual and information services industry by promoting national frameworks aimed at achieving a comparable and effective level of protection of minors and human dignity (3) and the multiannual Community action plan on promoting safer use of the Internet and new online technologies by combating illegal and harmful content, primarily in the area of the protection of children and minors (4).

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However, child protection remains an essentially national matter and it is up to the Member States to take initiatives in this field.

In its proposals for a new generation of education, training and citizenship programmes, the Commission envisages two types of measures:

| — | ‘centralised’ activities, managed directly by the Commission; |
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‘centralised’ activities, managed directly by the Commission;

| — | ‘decentralised’ activities, for which national agencies appointed by the authorities in the participating countries are responsible. |
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‘decentralised’ activities, for which national agencies appointed by the authorities in the participating countries are responsible.

These ‘decentralised’ activities should account for most of the budget, and it is essentially in this area that activities involving young people, e.g. mobility projects, will be supported.

In the Commission's view it is up to the authorities of the participating countries, in collaboration with the National Agencies, to take the necessary steps to ensure the protection of minors, in line with the legislation in force and with national cultural sensitivities.

In general, the Commission will ensure, in view of the criteria set out in the calls for proposals, that the projects selected are of unquestionable educational value, taking full account of the interests of participants, and in particular of minors.

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(1)  COM(2004) 154 final and COM(2004) 156 final.

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(2)  Council Directive 94/33/EC of 22 June 1994 on the protection of young people at work, OJ L 216, 20.8.1994.

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(3)  Council Recommendation 98/560/EC of 24 September 1998, OJ L 270, 7.10.1998.

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(4)  OJ L 162, 1.7.2003.

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