Mail Council of Europe - Maud de Boer support Declaration on Adoption

From: RODRIGUEZ Jaime

Date: 21 Feb 2008 16:32

Subject: RE:request official statement

To: XXXX

XXXX

I was preparing a reply to your last email, when I have received your last message. Please find attached a document which explains the content of the new draft convention as has been sent to the media this week, as well as the declaration on international adoption. European Parliament members Claire Gibault and Jean-Marie Cavada have drafted it and Maud de Boer-Buquicchio expressed has expressed her support to it.The declaration was presented at a press conference in Strasbourg last Tuesday.

On the same day of the presentation of this declaration- and as background information- the Council of Europe distributed information on a different issue: the new draft convention of the Council of Europe Convention on Adoption, which is expected to be opened to signature in May. The novelties are explained in the fact sheet attached, but they are not included in detail.

With regard to the information you released today, please note that with regard to the age for consent of the child, in the revised draft Convention the consent of the child is now necessary if the child has sufficient understanding. A child shall be considered as having sufficient understanding on attaining an age which shall be prescribed by law and shall not be more than 14 years. The limit is not 14 but "not more than 14", which means it could be lower.

The draft also says, that if the consent of the child is not necessary according to this age prescribed by law, he or she shall , as far as possible, be consulted and his or her views taken into account having regard to his or her level of maturity. This consultation may only be dispensed with if it would be manifestly contrary to the child´s best interests.

I am dealing with media requests with regard to this issue in the press office. If you are interested in having more information on the convention on an institutional level as an association, I can forward your request to the division dealing with this topic.

best regards

Jaime Rodríguez

Press officer

Council of Europe

Tel. +33 (0) 3 90 21 47 04

Mobile +33 (0) 6 899 950 42

jaime.rodriguez@coe.int

www.coe.int

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