A EUROPE-WIDE alert system for missing children has received a £900,000 European Commission handout close to the second anniversary of Madeleine McCann’s disappearance.
Madeleine’s parents, Gerry and Liverpool-born Kate, whose daughter disappeared from a Portuguese holiday resort on May 3, 2007, have been campaigning ever since for closer co-operation between EU countries to help prevent child abductions across borders.
They twice took their campaign to the European Parliament last year, winning support from MEPs for increased action to set up a US-style “Amber Alert” early warning system which has led to the safe return of hundreds of children when the alarm has been quickly raised across state lines.
A similar network across 27 European countries could have helped raise awareness faster about Madeleine’s apparent abduction from the McCann’s holiday villa.
