Source: https://dbfamilylaw.wordpress.com/category/eu-charter-rights/
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 20:25:40+00:00

Document:
The Observer today reported that clause 5(4) in the European Union (Withdrawal) Bill which proposes to abolish Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (‘the Charter’) will create a substantial ‘human rights deficit’. It will leave ‘many different groups in society without adequate protection’. Clause 5(4) is in brutally clear terms: ‘(4) The Charter of Fundamental Rights is not part of domestic law on or after exit day’. This article concentrates on children’s rights under the Charter which will go on exit day.
An important means of protecting rights – apart from those rights already enshrined in a variety of other legislation and in the common law – is European Convention 1950. This is incorporated, most of it, into English law by Human Rights Act 1998. However there are two substantial qualifications to the importance of European Convention 1950, which the Charter helps to resolve. First, Human Rights Act 1998 does not override an Act of Parliament; though it can enable judges to declare them incompatible with the European Convention 1950. Secondly, the Charter’s protection means that if there is a conflict between basic rights contained in the Charter as against an Act of the Westminster parliament, the Charter – as EU law – will prevail over the Act.
Thus if there is – as there may be – a conflict between Children Act 1989 s 1(3) and Art 24 of the Charter for children rights, then the Charter will prevail; unless clause 5(4) becomes law when, after exit day – when UK leaves the EU – the Charter exits too.
An area of law which will be appreciably affected in a number of ways by EU withdrawal is children law, in particular where they and one of their parents are living in UK, and the other is in a EU member state. That is a subject which is beyond the scope of this article. I want to concentrate here only on the Charter; and referring only to law which does not remain part of English law. Art 24 of the Charter is concerned specifically with children’s rights (as is, though in slightly different terms, United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 Art 12).
Under European Convention 1950 children do not have specific rights. Like anyone else a child has rights under the Convention, such as to respect for the child’s private life (Art 8); but a child does not have the specific rights protected by Art 24.
1 Children shall have the right to such protection and care as is necessary for their well-being. They may express their views freely. Such views shall be taken into consideration on matters which concern them in accordance with their age and maturity.
2 In all actions relating to children, whether taken by public authorities or private institutions, the child’s best interests must be a primary consideration.
The passages in Art 24 with which I am concerned here are at 2 and 3; since 2 is not re-produced in English law in terms which are, in effect, mandatory as is the case in Art 24. If a child wants to express a view, the child ‘may’ do so; and means must be found to ensure this. Even now that is not done properly in English children proceedings. The provision at 2 in the table does not exist in English law, save – whilst the Charter remains part of English law – in Art 24.
The importance of Art 24 has been asserted by the Court of Appeal in a judgment approved by the Supreme Court in Re D (A Child) (International Recognition)  EWCA Civ 12,  1 WLR 2469,  2 FLR 347 where Lord Justice Ryder explained why a seven-year old Bulgarian child should have had ‘an opportunity to be heard’. This does not mean the child necessarily has to appear in court; but the ‘opportunity’ must be there which it had not been in the Bulgarian courts.
The terminology ‘opportunity to be heard’ derives from EU legislation – Council Regulation (EC) No 2201/2003 of 27 November 2003 Concerning Jurisdiction and the Recognition and Enforcement of Judgments in Matrimonial Matters and in Matters of Parental Responsibility – to give it its full title; generally known as ‘Brussels IIA’, or Brussels IIR. That legislation will also go with EU withdrawal, a fact which was noted (at para ) by the Supreme Court in the Gina Miller case (R (Miller & anor) v Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union  UKSC 5,  2 WLR 583).
 … That is the fundamental principle that is reflected in our legislation, our rules and practice directions and our jurisprudence. At its most basic level it involves asking at an early stage in family proceedings whether and how that child is going to be given the opportunity to be heard. The qualification in s 1(3)(a) of the CA 1989 like that in Art 12(1) of the UNCRC 1989 relates to the weight to be put upon a child’s wishes and feelings, not their participation (my italics).
To me this issue turns on the two forms of legislation at 3 above. Childrens’ views shall be taken into consideration on matters which concern them in accordance with their age and maturity, is the EU Charter version. English law says that when making a decision about a child’s future the court ‘shall have regard in particular to – (a) the ascertainable wishes and feelings of the child concerned (considered in the light of his age and understanding)’.
To me – and I am trying very hard not to load my pro-European views onto this – the English version of the law, from a child’s point of view, is appreciably weaker under Children Act 1989 s 1(3)(a). A child’s ‘wishes and feelings’ are but one of six factors to be considered by the court. None of the six are to be given priority. In EU law the child has a right – unconditionally – to have his or her views taken into account (if that is what the child wants).
Under the EU withdrawal bill those child’s rights will go. Children Act 1989 s 1(3)(a) will be all that is left to protect such rights as children are accorded by family courts.

References: Art 24
 Art 24
 Art 12
 Art 24
 Art 24
 Art 24
 Art 24
 Art 24
 EWCA 
 UKSC 
 Art 12