European Parliament Adopts Special Safeguards for Child Suspects in Criminal Proceedings

On March 9, 2016, the European Parliament voted, in an overwhelming majority of 613 votes to 30 (with 56 abstentions), to pass a Directive on special safeguards for child suspects to ensure that anyone under 18 who are suspected or accused of a crime get a fair trial. On that day, the Parliament adopted, at first reading, its position with a view to the adoption of Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on procedural safeguards for children who are suspects or accused persons in criminal proceedings. On the same day, the Parliament adopted a legislative resolution on the proposal for this directive.