Euro-MPs bring Maddy-inspired EU alert scheme closer

6.14.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 10th Jul 2008

Members of the European Parliament have brought closer the realisation of an EU missing child alert system after they adopted a declaration which puts pressure on the European Commission and the 27 governments to deliver the scheme.

Inspired by the case of Madeleine McCann and promoted by her parents Gerry and Kate, the alert system would ensure a speedy response to any reports of a missing child within the EU member states and its neighbours, with photo and basic details in the news media and police and border officials on the lookout. There would be a common European '116...' telephone hotline for reporting possible sightings or other information.

Similar systems in France and the US have been very successful in facilitating the safe recovery of missing children. London MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford, the Liberal Democrat European justice spokeswoman, said:

"I am delighted at the European Parliament move having consistently supported the campaign, discussed it with Gerry and Kate in Brussels, and lobbied my fellow Liberal group MEPs right up to the last minute to get their signatures."

"Given the success of the French system, I believe we can count on the French EU Presidency to make rapid progress."

"As the summer approaches and families go holidaying abroad with the McCanns' story fresh in our minds, I'm hopeful that today's call by MEPs will soon ensure that parents get that extra peace of mind when travelling in the Europe."

The 116000 European telephone hotline number for missing children has been reserved in all EU Member States (which is the obligation imposed by the EC Decision of 15 February 2007), but has so far been assigned to an organisation in only 7 EU Member States (Belgium, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal and Slovakia) and is currently operational in only 3 of those (Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands). Then UK has not even appointed an organisation to run it.