An EU Agenda for the Rights of the Child. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions

An agenda for reinforcing children’s rights in the EU by putting the principles included in the EU’s Charter of Fundamental Rights into action. It lists 11 actions that the Commission will take over the next years to protect children’s rights, including promoting child-friendly justice, better informing children about their rights, and making the internet safer for children, among others. Children’s rights form part of the fundamental rights that the EU is committed to respect under the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. The Treaty of Lisbon also requires the EU to promote the protection of the rights of the child. In addition, all 27 EU countries have ratified the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. The Europe 2020 Strategy sets out a vision for the 21st century of a Europe where the children of today will have a better education, access to the services and to the resources they need to grow up and, one day, lead Europe into the 22nd century. Many of the actions taken by the EU have an impact on children. It can therefore bring essential added value in the field of children’s rights in several policy areas. The EU can support the Member States in their efforts, both by assisting them in certain areas and by providing a framework for mutual learning within which Member States can identify and adopt the many good practices to be found across the Union.