Call for a European Child Guarantee
Protect migrant children, particularly unaccompanied ones
EU member states must invest more in education, healthcare, housing, family support and childcare, making sure that these services reach all children.
 âA child is first and foremost a child, regardless of ethnic origin, gender, nationality or social and economic background, ability, migration or residence statusâ, stated Parliament on Thursday in a resolution passed with 545 to 24 and 119 abstentions.
The text highlights the huge toll that the COVID-19 crisis is having on children, further exacerbating their risk of poverty, severely affecting their access to education, compromising their physical and mental health and increasing the danger of being exposed to violence and abuse. MEPs urge the Commission to table, as announced, a legislative proposal to establish the European Child Guarantee in the first quarter of 2021.
On Wednesday, MEPs called for democratic oversight of tech giants to safeguard freedom of expression.
In a debate with Secretary of State for European Affairs Ana Paula Zacarias from the Portuguese Presidency of the Council, and Commission Vice-President Věra Jourová, almost all speakers criticised the vast power of social media platforms and their worrying impact on politics and freedom of speech.
Citing various decisions taken by the platforms to censor content or accounts, a large majority in the chamber highlighted the lack of clear rules governing such decisions and the lack of transparency of big tech practices. They urged the Commission to address the issue in the Digital Services Act and the Digital Markets Act, and as part of the Democracy Action Plan.
The use of sexual services provided by trafficking victims must be criminalised and harder measures to tackle its proliferation are needed, Parliament says.