On 12 June 2026, the European Parliament plenary published a motion for a resolution on the recruitment of children by organised crime, with a single amendment tabled by the EPP group. The amendment inserts a new paragraph (14a) requiring that any response to such recruitment must take due account of individual circumstances, including coercion or exploitation, and balance public safety with the child's vulnerability.
The amendment, submitted by the centre-right EPP group, is the only change proposed to the resolution. It introduces a proportionality and individual assessment clause, mandating that authorities consider both the seriousness of the offence and the level of risk posed to public safety, while also recognising that recruited children may themselves be victims. The text explicitly anchors this assessment in applicable EU and national law.
No other political groups—including S&D, Renew, Greens/EFA, ECR, ID, or The Left—have tabled amendments, which may indicate broad agreement with the original text or a lack of consensus on how to address the issue. The EPP's proposal implicitly pushes back against a purely punitive, public-safety-first approach, favouring instead a nuanced, case-by-case method that respects child rights.
Policy orientations and trade-offs The amendment's core tension lies between a punitive approach prioritising public safety and a rehabilitative approach centred on child protection. By requiring individual assessments, the EPP seeks to humanise the response, ensuring children are not treated solely as offenders. However, this could slow down judicial processes and create administrative burdens for national authorities, potentially reducing the deterrent effect of swift punishment.
Impact on stakeholders - Children recruited by organised crime: Positive impact. The amendment explicitly recognises coercion and exploitation, potentially leading to more rehabilitative outcomes rather than criminalisation. - National judicial and law enforcement authorities: Moderate negative impact. They will need to conduct individual assessments for each case, increasing workload and requiring training on child-specific vulnerabilities. - EU institutions: Neutral. The amendment aligns with existing EU child rights frameworks but does not introduce new binding obligations. - Organised crime groups: Indirect negative impact. A more nuanced approach may reduce the stigma on child recruits, potentially making it harder for gangs to use children as shields, but could also lead to lighter sentences for some offenders.
Expected institutional follow-up The resolution, with or without the amendment, will be debated and voted on in plenary. If adopted, it will serve as a non-binding political statement guiding EU and member state action. The European Commission may take it into account in future legislative proposals on child protection and organised crime. No trilogue or Council position is required for a resolution. The next step is the plenary vote, expected later in the June 2026 session.
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