Age
Age is an important marker of identity
of a person and in particular, age is decisive to understand if a person is a
child or an adult. In accordance with the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child, a child is any person who has not yet reached the age of 18.
In EU Member States, 18 is the age of
majority. The age of majority is the
age at which a child becomes an adult and acquires full legal capacity. Having
reached the age of majority means that a person can engage in legal activities
and is liable for contractual obligations.[1]
A person’s age is
documented by a birth certificate and identity documents, such as passports or
ID cards. Unaccompanied children are not always in possession of these
documents and, in some cases, may not be able to state an exact age. Where
there are reasonable doubts about the age of a young person and it is unclear
if the person is an adult or a child, an age assessment may be considered to be
in the best interests of the child.
See also:
Centre: The child
Level 6: Identification; Age assessment
References:
EU training and learning platform for guardians of
unaccompanied children
Chapter 3, Session 3.2. From arrival to durable solution: decisions and proceedings
Literature:
FRA (European Agency for Fundamental Rights) (2018), Age assessment and fingerprinting of children in asylum procedures,
Minimum age requirements concerning children’s rights in the EU, Luxembourg, Publications
Office of the European Union (Publications Office).
FRA (European Agency for Fundamental Rights) (2018), Mapping minimum age requirements concerning the rights of the child in the EU, Luxembourg, Publications
Office of the European Union (Publications Office).
UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child (2016), General Comment No. 20 on the
implementation of the rights of the child during adolescents, CRC/C/GC/20,
2016.
UN
Committee on the Rights of the Child (2005), General Comment No. 7,
Implementing child rights in early childhood, CRC/C/GC/7,
2005.
[1] For further information, see the European Union
Agency for Fundamental Rights’ website on the age of majority
.
