EU seals deal to help recover child support payments
(LUXEMBOURG) - European Union justice ministers sealed Friday a cooperation deal to help recover child support payments from separated parents living in different countries.
"Thanks to this new European measure, a decision taken in one member state will have the same force of execution and the same effect throughout Europe," EU Justice Commissioner Jacques Barrot said.
"Parents and their children will not have to suffer diverse national systems. For each step in the process of recovering child support payments, they will benefit from aid and assistance measures," he said.
"The livelihoods of a number of people, notably children, in the union depends on the payment of child support. Today's agreement, therefore, marks an essential step in protecting them."
The deal will help track down people who refuse or cannot pay child support to a spouse with parental authority living in another EU country, and ascertain whether they have the money to do so.
It also provides for legal aid for people under the age of 21.
Around 170,000 couples from different EU countries divorce each year. The deal will also cover unmarried couples with children.
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