Scottish Lib Dems - say NO to child trafficking

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th Jun 2008

Scottish Lib Dems Elspeth Attwooll MEP and Robert Brown MSP have joined forces with Liberals and Democrats from all over Europe to fight the sickening abuse of children by sex tourists from the European Union.

Currently, thousands of Europeans travel to other continents every year seeking sex with minors - with little chance of them ever being caught.

As part of the campaign the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe are sponsoring a petition www.sayno.eu that calls for more powers for Europol to fight these appalling crimes.

Elspeth Attwooll, Liberal Democrat MEP for Scotland, said:

"The EU cannot turn its back on the sexual exploitation of children by Europeans in other continents. It has to confront the problem head on.

I have signed the petition along with a written declaration in the European Parliament. We want one million people to sign. This would send out a clear message: Child prostitution must be stopped now".

Robert Brown, Liberal Democrat MSP for Glasgow, added:

"This is a problem that has to be tackled at both European and local level. It is up to us to keep children safe, whether here or abroad".

Notes to editors:

The online petition www.sayno.eu includes three concrete proposals:

1) The Member States should give Europol a stronger role and receive the powers and the means to train police, prosecutors and judges in Southeast Asia and South-eastern Europe on the subject of sexual exploitation of children.

2) The EU should improve the exchange of information with third countries in order to help identify possible suspects as well as prosecuting perpetrators.

3) The EU should enter those suspected of child sex tourism, also outside of the EU, into the Schengen Information System.

Apart from ALDE the online petition is sponsored by Terre des Hommes, Plan International, ECPAT International and Save the Children.