Belgian Parliament Approves Bill Allowing Euthanasia for Terminally ill Children without any age limit Thursday Feb 13,2014

Belgium legalised euthanasia in 2002, the second EU country to do so after the Netherlands

Parliament in Belgium on Thursday Feb 13,2014 has passed a bill allowing euthanasia for terminally ill children without any age limit, by 86 votes to 44, with 12 abstentions

The law states a child would have to be terminally ill, face "unbearable physical suffering" and make repeated requests to die - before euthanasia is considered.
Parents, doctors and psychiatrists would have to agree before a decision is made.

Conditions for child euthanasia

• Patient must be conscious of their decision
• Request must be approved by parents and medical team
• Illness must be terminal
• Patient must be in great pain with no treatment available to alleviate their distress

 When the bill is signed by the king, Belgium will become the first country in the world to remove any age limit on the practice

In the Netherlands, Belgium's northern neighbour, euthanasia is legal for children over the age of 12, if there is parental consent.
Under the Dutch conditions, a patient's request for euthanasia can be fulfilled by a doctor if the request is "voluntary and well-considered" and the patient is suffering unbearably, with no prospect of improvement.