Changes from report parliamentary committee draft to plenary report

AddedArticle 19 – paragraph 2 – point g a (new): (ga) has seriously breached the law of the Member State to which he or she has made an application for international protection;

AddedArticle 19 – paragraph 2 – point h: (h) has been sent back after having absconded.

AddedArticle 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1: Member States shall as soon as an unaccompanied minor makes an application for international protection take measures to ensure that a guardian represents and assists the unaccompanied minor to enable him or her to benefit from the rights and comply with the obligations provided for in this Directive. The guardian appointed in accordance with Article [22] of Regulation (EU) No XXX/XXX [Procedures Regulation] may perform those tasks. The unaccompanied minor shall be informed immediately of the appointment of the guardian. Where an organisation is appointed as guardian, it shall designate a person responsible for carrying out the duties of guardian in respect of the unaccompanied minor, in accordance with this Directive. The guardian shall perform his or her duties in accordance with the principle of the best interests of the child, as prescribed in Article 22 (2), shall have the necessary expertise and receive continuous and appropriate training to that end, and shall not have a verified criminal record, with particular regard to any of child-related crimes or offences. After his or her appointment, the guardian's criminal record shall be regularly reviewed by the competent authorities to identify potential incompatibilities with his or her role. In order to ensure the minor's well-being and social development referred to in Article 22 (2)(b), the person acting as guardian shall be changed only when necessary. Organisations or individuals whose interests conflict or could pote…

AddedArticle 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 1 a (new): In order to protect unaccompanied minors from exploitation and trafficking, Member States shall identify unaccompanied children upon disembarkation, register them, carry out a preliminary risk assessment and ensure referral to relevant child protection services.

AddedArticle 23 – paragraph 1 – subparagraph 2: Member States shall ensure that guardians are placed in charge of an adequate and limited number of unaccompanied minors at the same time to allow them to be able to perform their tasks effectively. Member States shall appoint entities or persons responsible for monitoring at regular intervals that guardians perform their tasks in a satisfactory manner. Those entities or persons shall also have the competence to review complaints lodged by unaccompanied minors against their guardian. To this end, unaccompanied minors shall be given information, in a child-friendly manner and in a language they understand, about who these entities or persons are and how to report complaints against their guardians in confidence and safety.

AddedWhen mentioning the necessary expertise the guardian should have, it is important to specify, as the Reception Directive does, that such expertise be aimed at enabling the guardian to perform his or her duties in the best interests of the child. Such expertise needs to be combined with appropriate and continuous training provided by the competent authorities. That the candidate to a position of guardianship hasn’t a verified record of child-related crimes or offences is not enough. Other crimes or offences should also lead to discard a candidate, as the guardian is responsible for the overall well-being of the unaccompanied minor and should thus be a person of unblemished integrity. Even after appointment, regular checks of his/her criminal record are made necessary by the sensitive nature of the role. The expression “a disproportionate number” leaves too much room for interpretation, which may lead to misuses. Need to be more prescriptive: the expression “adequate and limited number of unaccompanied minors” has this objective. The addition at the end of the subparagraph of paragraph 1 aims at encouraging and enabling children to participate in and contribute to the monitoring of guardianship systems.

AddedArticle 29 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. Member States shall provide appropriate training and support for staff likely to encounter the physical and mental health needs of applicants entering the labour market.