Local Euro MP: Time to "Say NO" to child sex tourism

10.48.31am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Jun 2008

Every year thousands of European tourists travel to countries in Southeast Asia, South America and Africa with the specific intent of having sex with children. The chance that offenders get caught is almost zero.

European Liberal and Democrat Euro MPs have today launched an online petition www.sayno.eu to fight this shocking abuse of children through prostitution. The petition pleads for more powers for the European police agency Europol to fight sexual exploitation of children by Europeans travelling abroad.

The initiative is co-sponsored by Liberal Democrat Yorkshire & the Humber MEP Diana Wallis, who said:

"It is time to put an end to child sex tourism. The aim of the online petition is to collect a million signatures from people who say no to child prostitution.

"We have the power to end this shocking exploitation and put the offenders behind bars if we have the will."

Notes

1. The petition includes three concrete proposals.

a) The member states have to give Europol a stronger role. Therefore it should receive the powers and the means to train police, prosecutors and judges in the countries targeted by child sex tourists on the subject of sexual exploitation of children.

b) The EU should improve the exchange of information with third countries in order to help identify possible suspects and prosecute perpetrators.

c) Those suspected of child sex tourism, including that committed outside Europe, should be entered into the EU's 'Schengen Information System' which records those wanted for crimes or sought for extradition.

2. Apart from the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats group in the European Parliament, the petition is sponsored by NGOs Terre des Hommes, Plan, ECPAT International and Save the Children.