Welcoming Europe's Youngest &
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WELCOMING EUROPE’S YOUNGEST HOW THE EU ACCESSION PROCESS TRANSFORMED CHILD PROTECTION IN ROMANIA & LESSONS FOR CURRENT EU ENLARGEMENT AND NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICIES TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF CHILD PROTECTION REFORM IN THE REGION World Vision is a network of Christian relief, development and advocacy organisations dedicated to working with children, families and communities to overcome poverty and injustice. As followers of Jesus, World Vision is dedicated to working with the world’s most vulnerable people regardless of religion, race, ethnicity or gender. Transforming Communities Because poverty has both local and global causes, World Vision works within communities and across geographical areas to help individuals and groups improve the well-being of children and overcome poverty. Responding to Disasters World Vision is globally positioned to help with immediate needs like food, water and shelter when disaster strikes and to help communities to recover and prevent future catastrophes. Seeking Global Change World Vision engages institutions, donors and the general public to address the global problems that perpetuate poverty. Advocacy staff empower communities to speak up for their rights, locally and globally. In Central and Eastern Europe and the Caucasus, World Vision and its partner organisations work in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Montenegro, Romania and Serbia. © World Vision International 2012 Author: Jocelyn Penner Hall Researcher: Catalina Buciu All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced in any form, except for brief excerpts in reviews, without prior permission of the publisher. Published by World Vision’s Middle East and Eastern Europe Office on behalf of World Vision International. For further information about this publication or World Vision International publications, or for additional copies of this publication, please contact [email protected]. CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 4 ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................ 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................10 I. THE EU ACCESSION PROCESS SIGNIFICANTLY AND POSITIVELY IMPACTED CHILD PROTECTION REFORM IN ROMANIA.............12 A. EU ACCESSION PROCESS PROVIDES INCENTIVES FOR REFORM IN CANDIDATE COUNTRIES ..........................................................12 B. THE LANDSCAPE OF ROMANIA’S CANDIDACY ........................................................................................................................................................................13 C. CHILD PROTECTION REFORM AS AN ELEMENT OF THE ACCESSION PROCESS .............................................................................................14 D. ROMANIA’S REFORM SUCCESSES ..........................................................................................................................................................................................................18 II. LESSONS FROM ROMANIA’S ACCESSION PROCESS COULD APPLY TO CURRENT EU ENLARGEMENT AND NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICIES TO INCREASE THE IMPACT OF CHILD PROTECTION REFORM IN THE REGION ....................................... 20 A. THE VALUE OF ROMANIA’S LESSONS FOR THE REGION .................................................................................................................................................. 20 B. CAVEAT: SOME LESSONS AND VARIABLES ARE NOT REPLICABLE .............................................................................................................................. 20 C. LESSONS AND VARIABLES THAT ARE REPLICABLE .................................................................................................................................................................. 21 III. EFFECTS OF EU ENGAGEMENT FOR CHILD PROTECTION REFORM TODAY ...................................................................................................................... 23 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 25 ANNEXES .............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................. 26 A. CHRONOLOGY OF EVENTS .................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 B. TIMELINE OF EU AND ROMANIAN ACTIONS ON CHILD PROTECTION .............................................................................................................. 32 C. METHODOLOGY, SOURCES AND LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH ....................................................................................................................... 34 D. REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 35 3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The development and publication of this research has been possible due to the collaborative efforts of many individuals, World Vision offices and external entities. The author and researcher would like to thank the following: Most notably, Daniela Buzducea for saving the day and Andy Guth (World Vision Romania), who provided exceptional insight on the Romania-EU perspective of child protection reform. This paper is dedicated to them as commendation for their own efforts during Romania’s reform period. Eve Jolly (World Vision Middle East and Eastern Europe Regional Office), who worked long, dedicated hours on the necessary but difficult components of this paper, including the chronology, timeline and references. She has also been a significantly strong thought partner in the paper’s development. Alexander Muterko (World Vision Brussels & EU Representation ivzw) and Sharon Payt, Fiona Smith and Mirela Oprea (World Vision Middle East and Eastern Europe Regional Office), who were instrumental in providing strategic guidance and technical input from the original concept to the final stages. Marie Cook (World Vision Middle East and Eastern Europe Regional Office), who assisted with editing of the paper. Jeff Hall (World Vision International), who provided guidance at important moments. 4 ACRONYMS DCP Department of Child Protection EC European Commission ENP European Neighbourhood Policy EP European Parliament EU European Union FDSN Democratic National Salvation Front ILO International Labour Organisation MEP Member of the European Parliament NAP National Action Plan NAPCR National Agency for the Protection of Child Rights NATO North Atlantic Treaty Organization NCCP National Committee for Child Protection NGO Nongovernmental Organisation ODA Overseas Development Assistance PSD Social Democratic Party UNCRC United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Fundamentally, the EU accession process significantly and positively impacted child protection reform in Romania. There are lessons from European Union (EU) and International relations theories provide the framework for Government of Romania engagement during the accession this discussion. Academic scholars argue that EU accession process that could apply to current EU policy on Enlargement provides incentives for reform in candidate countries; in and Neighbourhood Policies today. Such lessons could essence, they argue that the accession process is one cause increase the impact of child protection reform across of reform. The reason that accession leads to reform is the Central and Eastern European and Commonwealth articulated in three often-cited theories. First, reform of Independent States region. Fundamentally, Romania’s occurs because candidate countries see the cost of reforms story of child protection reform is an aspiration of what as less than the reward of EU membership (external is possible when multiple stakeholders from all levels of incentives). Second, candidate countries work towards policy engagement come together to change the lives of reforms because they are influenced to appreciate the children. Romania’s story