Stephen Hughes backs victims' rights campaign for Brits abroad

North East Labour MEP Stephen Hughes has given his backing to a campaign to make it easier for Britons who are victims of crime abroad to get the help and support they need.

The European Commission is putting finishing touches to proposals that will help EU countries to coordinate the way they deal with victims in these cases.

Recently, Mr Hughes heard the story of GMB trade union member Maggie Hughes, who had to spend over three months away from home when her son was left in a life-threatening condition after being beaten up while on holiday in Greece.

She came to Brussels to meet European Commission officials to ensure they understand exactly what she and her family went through. Speaking ahead of the meeting she said: “What is needed is a well publicised helpline where all the agencies and companies that families need to get hold of to enable them to reach their injured loved one and get them back home safely come together with compassion and offer the necessary practical and administrative support to families at this extremely traumatic time.

"At the moment it's no one’s job, and so at one of the most dreadful and worrying times of someone’s life, for maybe a parent or a spouse or a grandparent, it is almost impossible to get any information let alone help. The British embassies do their best but do not have the resources to do more than the bare minimum."

Stephen Hughes MEP said: “It is every parent's worst nightmare: to know that your child is in a life-threatening condition in a country that is over a thousand miles away from home.

"Of course we hope that these things will never happen to us, and for most people trips abroad are problem free. But sadly many people are affected by crime while they are abroad and at present the EU isn't doing enough to assist these vulnerable victims."

Last year the foreign office gave consular support to over 2,000 people who were hospitalised in another European Union country. It also dealt with around 4,000 deaths abroad within the EU.

In all of these cases it is not just the victims themselves that are affected, but also countless family members and close friends who often don't know where to start to navigate their away around a foreign country's systems.

Stephen added: "At present we have EU standards to ensure that people accused of crimes abroad are entitled to support and assistance. And it is vitally important for them to have those rights to ensure they are able to make their case.

"However, the innocent victims of crime mustn't be forgotten. They are also incredibly vulnerable in these situations, and we're calling on the Commission to come forward with a strong package of victims' rights so that people aren't left to simply fend for themselves under what are often incredibly traumatic conditions.

"Labour will be campaigning to ensure that the victims of crime aren't left behind by EU law."

An announcement on plans for an EU package on victims' rights is expected in the spring.