Child refugees subjected to forced labour in the EU

24.11.2016

Question for written answer E-008818-16
to the Commission
Rule 130
João Ferreira (GUE/NGL)

Reports published this week (notably in The Guardian) have revealed that child refugees removed from the Calais camp and placed in other supposedly safe camps in France are in fact being subjected to forced labour, particularly on farms.

The newspaper describes the situation of unaccompanied minors who claim that they have been forced to carry out unpaid work picking fruit but were too scared to refuse the work or feared that this would harm their chances of claiming asylum to the UK.

Cases have also been reported where children have not been given clean clothes since they left the Calais camp.

What steps has the Commission taken or will it take in response to this gross violation of the human rights of child refugees in Europe?