Get to know us
AMBER Alert Europe foundation
Amber Alert Europe Foundation
AMBER Alert Europe is a foundation that assists in saving missing children at risk by connecting law enforcement with other police experts and with the public across Europe. AMBER Alert Europe advocates that one missing child is one too many and aims for zero missing children in Europe.
Network of knowledge and expertise
AMBER Alert Europe brings together 44 official organisations, public authorities and business entities from 28 countries. The foundation actively contributes to the EU and national policy debate on saving missing children. AMBER Alert Europe also hosts the Secretariat of the Police Expert Network on Missing Persons (PEN-MP), so far consisting of over 80 experts from 33 countries, and harbours the Task Force on AMBER Alerts. The goals of AMBER Alert Europe are backed by 465 Members of the European Parliament.
AMBER Alert Europe is a neutral platform. It operates either evidence based (scientifically proven) or expert based. All activities are executed with respect for the privacy of missing persons and data protection laws.
Background
In 2008, AMBER Alert Netherlands was launched. With a reach of more than 12 million Dutch citizens, AMBER Alert Netherlands quickly became an example of how citizen sourcing can work; in 94 percent of the cases, the child was successfully found.
The creation of AMBER Alert Europe
Inspired by the success of the Dutch AMBER Alert, the AMBER Alert Europe foundation was launched in 2013 with the following goal:
- To be a life-saving factor in abductions or disappearances of children throughout Europe;
- To undertake any further actions necessary related to achieving or advancing the above-mentioned goal, in the broadest sense.
Police Expert Network on Missing Persons
The Police Expert Network on Missing Persons (PEN-MP), founded by the AMBER Alert Europe foundation, is officially recognised by the Council of the European Union and all member states. The PEN-MP is the official European missing persons police network consisting of police experts in the field of missing persons from all over Europe. So far, the PEN-MP consists of over 80 law enforcement experts from 33 countries. Goal of the PEN-MP is to bring together law enforcement experts in the field of missing persons, specifically children.
In order to save more missing persons across Europe, members can quickly contact and consult each other about missing person cases. The PEN-MP also provides specialist support, advice, and training to its members.
Official recognition by the Council of the EU
The PEN-MP was announced in 2016 under the Dutch Presidency of the Council of the European Union. At its launch, the Dutch Presidency called on every Member State to appoint a national contact for the network. In support of the Dutch initiative, a majority of 465 Members of the European Parliament from all EU Member States signed AMBER Alert Europe’s Written Declaration for better European cooperation on saving the lives of missing children.
The PEN-MP is now officially recognised by the Council of the European Union with its formal affiliation to the Law Enforcement Working Party (LEWP).
Board of Directors
Petra Binkova
Frank Hoen
Advisory Board
Carmelo Abela
Damjan Miklič
Caroline Humer
Victor Reuter
Patrícia Cipriano
Rinus van Schendelen
Henk Jansen
Maurice Lenferink
Thank you for
helping us reach #ZeroMissingKids
Contributions to the AMBER Alert Europe foundation make a significant difference in the search for and protection of missing children. Because with your help, we can continue our ongoing effort to reach #ZeroMissingKids.
Organisations that support AMBER Alert Europe
Annual and Financial Reports
The Netherlands Fundraising Regulator
The Netherlands Fundraising Regulator (CBF) is an independent foundation which has been monitoring fundraising by charities since 1925. The CBF’s task is to promote trustworthy fundraising and expenditure by reviewing fundraising organisations and giving information and advice to government institutions and the public.