Promotion of child well-being was identified as a clear priority for the Cyprus EU Presidency. The government took a holistic approach and included the elements of:

» prevention of child poverty,

» protection and

» access to adequate resources and services in its work.

A special place was reserved to participation of children and young people in the discussions. For example, a group of young people presented their messages to the EU policy-makers at the Presidency Conference on Child Poverty and Well-Being (October 2012).

The Presidency voiced its strong support for a speedy adoption and an ambitious scope of a forthcoming EU Recommendation on Child Poverty and Well-Being, while the EPSCO Council Conclusions specifically dedicated to child poverty gave a useful direction for its practical implementation. It is therefore regretful that whereas the EPSCO Council recognized the need to back up social inclusion actions with EU funding instruments to achieve the best outcomes for children, this has not been followed up in the negotiations on the Multiannual Financial Framework, where the Presidency compromise proposal envisaged severe cuts in some of the most crucial areas for children.

Overall, the Cypriot government ran a satisfying and encouraging EU presidency from a child’s rights point of view.

Find Eurochild's Cyprus EU presidency Scorecard with more explanations here.

Click here for all other scorecards: www.tinyurl.com/eupresidency-scorecards