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The first ever European Parliament (EP) Written Declaration addressing the military recruitment and use of children in hostilities is open for signature at the European Parliament (EP), sponsored by British members of the EP Sharon Bowles and Glennys Kinnock. To be adopted, the declaration must be signed by 393 of the 785 members of the EP (MEPs) before 3 December 2007. If adopted, the Declaration could pave the way for more concerted and focused action by the EP. The Parliament would in future be able to put pressure on national governments and international organisations like the UN to take more concerted action to eliminate the recruitment or use of children in war. Declaration 77/2007 on the Elimination of the Use of Child Soldiers outlines ways for the EU and others to prevent the recruitment and use of children under 18 years of age into armed forces and armed groups. Possible actions include: pressure for the ratification and implementation of the UN Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict; application of targeted measures (such as travel bans) against those who recruit child soldiers or who knowingly support those who do so; and commitment of sustainable financial support for programmes to release child soldiers and assist their reintegration into civilian life. (Official programmes and process to assist such children are often referred to as demobilisation, disarmament and reintegration (DDR) programmes.) See the text of the full declaration here European Union actions on child soldiers The European Union has increasingly addressed the issue of child soldiers in recent years, both multilaterally and through activities of individual Member States. In 2003 The EU adopted Policy Guidelines on children affected by armed conflict in order to address the situation of child soldiers through political dialogue, multilateral cooperation and other initiatives. At the time the European Parliament supported the adoption of the guidelines in a resolution. However, implementation of EU policies to stop the use of child soldiers has often been sketchy and the European Parliament has been less vocal in addressing the issue recently. Paris Commitments and Paris Principles on protection of child soldiers In an important step forward, 58 governments, including most EU governments, endorsed the texts of the Paris Commitments to protect children unlawfully recruited or used by armed forces or armed groups and the Principles and Guidelines on children associated with armed forces or armed groups at a ministerial meeting in Paris in February 2007. These documents reaffirmed existing international standards relating to the protection of child soldiers and outlined best practice principles relating to programmes to release child soldiers and assist their reintegration to civilian life. Despite these and numerous other initiatives, the UN has estimated that some 250,000 children continue to be involved in hostilities worldwide. For the full texts of these documents see www.unicef.org. Further information