Establishment of a European abduction alert system

20.5.2013

Question for written answer E-005564-13
to the Commission
Rule 117
Philippe Boulland (PPE)

The ‘AMBER Alert’ system is a child abduction alert system aimed at the wide distribution of alert messages via radio, the Internet and television. US citizens can also subscribe to updates via e-mail and text message.

A similar system is currently running as a pilot project in the European Union. Known as the ‘AMBER Alert Initiative for Europe’, its aim is to establish a cross-border European alert system for abducted children. So far the Commission has published only one web page with details of online alert mechanisms and how citizens can subscribe to an alert database to stay informed about cases of missing children in Europe.

In order for a system of this kind to be effective, it is important for information to be widely disseminated instead of relying on the willingness of certain citizens to subscribe to alerts.

1. In order to make the system more effective, does the Commission not believe that the future European ‘Amber Alert’ system should be based on the principle of automatic dissemination?

2. Should the system be placed under the aegis of Europol in order to achieve genuine cross-border cooperation?

OJ C 41 E, 12/02/2014