MEPs discuss with Council and Commission what the EU can do to protect children fleeing war in Ukraine, in particular from trafficking and exploitation during a debate in the European Parliament in Strasbourg. Following the activation on 3 March of the temporary protection status for refugees from Ukraine -which gives them temporary residence rights and access to education and the labour market-, the Commission and the French Presidency of the Council are working on a 10-point plan to enhance the European common response.

EU Protection of children and young people fleeing the war against Ukraine: extracts from the debate

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SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka &Scaron;UICA, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Democracy and Demography, Unaccompanied minors separated and orphaned children are at high risk of abuse and exploitation. We are working to obtain sufficient data so that all children are properly registered.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka &Scaron;UICA, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Democracy and Demography, Legal guardians must be assigned as quickly as possible. Potential foster families should be vetted so that the children do not end up in abusive households.

SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka &Scaron;UICA, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Democracy and Demography, This war will mark the children of Ukraine for life. We will not leave a stone unturned to ensure that they will be well cared for, that they can recover and be a child again. This is not only a job, it is our collective responsibility and the human imperative.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, SOUNDBITE (English), Dubravka &Scaron;UICA, Vice-President of the EC in charge of Democracy and Demography, Putin's army has so far killed a reported 158 children in Ukraine and wounded many more. Last month, Russian soldiers shot Matvey, eight year old, and his little brother, four year old Klym, and their mother, Marguerita, as they tried to escape the hell of Bucha. These war crimes must not go unpunished.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, SOUNDBITE (English), My services are working on standard operating procedures for transferring unaccompanied minors between member states, making clear when registering, relocating, referring children we must never forgot they are children and keep their best interest in mind.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, SOUNDBITE (English), Since day one, I have been working to prevent trafficking. Starting at the EU border where 282 Frontex staff are helping to identify people at risk or from trafficking. Europol is gathering intelligence, coordinating police cooperation, monitor online activities by potential traffickers and by people trying to exploit the services of victims.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, SOUNDBITE (English), Our priority now is registration, registration, registration. We need to know where these children are. All two million, not one child can go missing.

SOUNDBITE (English), Ylva JOHANSSON, European Commissioner for Home Affairs, SOUNDBITE (English), EU Lisa (the European Union Agency for the Operational Management of Large-Scale IT Systems in the Area of Freedom, Security and Justice​), is starting technical work to put in place a platform so the member states can exchange information, a platform for registration. We also need to register providers of housing and transport so refugees know who is safe, who they can trust.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Ewa KOPACZ (EPP, PL), One cannot find words to describe that every second child in Ukraine has left their homes. They don't sleep in their beds. They don't go to school very often.

SOUNDBITE (Spanish), Iratxe GARC&#205;A P&#201;REZ (S&amp;D, ES), S&amp;D Group leader, Given what we're trying to do in the EU and this platform for solidarity, there's some good things being done. The exchanges between the EU and the agencies, the EU and others are being facilitated. We have to advance on the Migration pact also. The UN Convention on the rights of the Child And of course was once also ratified by the Russian Federation.It should assure the well-being of all children and not to forget the aspects of human rights that pertain to this. For some these conventions are utopian. For me they are not.

SOUNDBITE (Dutch), Hilde VAUTMANS (Renew, BE), And now we're hearing from child focus that since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, two thousand minors are missing. Where are they? Are we looking for them? It is our duty to look for them.

SOUNDBITE (French), Saskia BRICMONT (Greens/EFA, BE), We have to allow these children and teenagers to have prospects of a future of a dignified fashion. We have to reopen the possibility to have access to a child guarantee and to education if they have access to education, culture, psycho social support and sexual reproductive health and rights, that is extremely important.

SOUNDBITE (Polish), Jadwiga WI&#346;NIEWSKA (ECR, PL), You are so emotional and saying that it's so horrible. We must begin to act and we should stop with appearances. And we need, decisive sanctions. We're talking about genocide and the violation of basic human rights and what is the union doing sanctioning Poland who received two and a half million refugees? And the funds that we should receive are being blocked.

EU Protection of children and young people fleeing the war against Ukraine: extracts from the debate

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