Protect Our Children
Step closer to victory in fire risk campaign
AN international law on flame-resistant children's clothing is a step closer today after The Northern Echo took its Protect Our Children campaign to the European Parliament.
Officials and MEPs pledged to work for new international laws that would make it illegal to sell children's night clothes that pose a serious fire risk.
The Protect Our Children campaign was launched with the family of two-year-old Daniel Mitchard-Harrison - from near Thirsk, North Yorkshire - who was scarred for life when his pyjama shorts caught fire.
An anomaly in the law means children's nightdresses and dressing gowns have to be flame resistant, but pyjamas do not.
Europe's consumer standards body has spent seven years working on new continent-wide recommendations that could make it illegal to sell pyjamas that pose a fire risk.
When The Northern Echo took the campaign to the European Parliament in Strasbourg yesterday, we discovered that the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) - the EU equivalent of the British Kite Mark - has recently published a European Standard for children's nightwear.
It is the most significant development in the campaign so far and sets out minimum requirements that would stop children's pyjamas from going up in flames in only a few seconds.
The guidelines are available to be adopted by clothing manufacturers, distributors and Governments - but they are not law.
In order to create a new European law, there would need to be agreement from the European Commission, EU member countries and the European Parliament.
North-East MEP Stephen Hughes, who is helping The Northern Echo with its campaign, said we were two thirds of the way to an agreement.
Mr Hughes and The Northern Echo met EU commissioner Meglena Kuneva, who has the power to initiate new legislation.
Mrs Kuneva described the campaign as "very strong", and said: "This is a well known case and I express my compassion for the boy and his family.
"I think that the law should be harmonised, but we need to discuss this with the member states.
"I do think that it is possible to change the law if we can get the member states to agree."
After the meeting, Mr Hughes said: "This is a breakthrough. Clearly, there is concern in the technical community (CEN is made up of scientific experts) about this gap in the law.
"The commissioner has made it clear that she is concerned. I have no doubt that the European Parliament will support it because the majority of people are shocked that there is no binding standard already in place."
Mrs Kuneva and Mr Hughes said that the focus of the campaign should now move to Westminster and other domestic governments to try to get member states to sign up to change the law.
While in Strasbourg, The Northern Echo also handed a 2,500-name petition to the European Petitions Committee.
This will help to raise the profile of the campaign and is another way of putting pressure on the EU to bring about a change in the law.
Since The Echo launched the campaign, two other newspapers have started campaigns.
Of the 2,500 people who signed the petition, six are MPs and eight are MEPs, including Mr Hughes and Fiona Hall, another North-East MEP.
An early-day motion has also been lodged in Westminster by Phil Willis, the MP for Harrogate and Knaresborough.
Andrew Mitchard, Daniel's grandfather, said: "This is fantastic news. If we are really two- thirds of the way there, then we need to work on the final third.
"The CEN recommendations are good, and I just hope they are adopted by UK stores now, before they are forced to by law.
"The protection of children is the most important thing."
Daniel is recovering but will need further operations.
8:40am Thursday 21st June 2007
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