EU missing child alert could prevent future Maddy tragedies

1.23.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 26th Jun 2008

London MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford, Liberal Democrat European spokeswoman on justice and human rights, has written to colleagues in the European Parliament urging them to support a call for an EU-wide alert procedure for missing children promoted by the Madeleine McCann case.

She wants them to sign a 'written declaration' (equivalent to a House of Commons Early Day Motion) inspired by Maddy's parents. It proposes an alert system that would ensure a rapid reaction to the disappearance of any child within the EU's 27 member states. The declaration also calls for cooperation agreements with bordering states and a common organisation to provide assistance and training to national bodies.

The declaration only requires 85 more signatures to be adopted by the European Parliament and passed on to the Commission and Council for action.

Sarah Ludford said:

"The ordeal in the year since Madeleine McCann went missing in Portugal has been heartbreaking for her family and friends. But I applaud their campaign to ensure that reactions in similar cases are quick and effective."

"The more rapid the action to find a missing child, the more likely they are to be found safe and well. That's why I strongly believe in the worth of this project and am urging my fellow Liberal MEPs to sign up in support."

"I'm optimistic that the written declaration will receive the number of signatures it needs to be adopted by the European Parliament, so we can then press for action from the European Commission and Council representing the 27 states."