This article focuses on the plight of children as young language learners(YLLs), in the context of today's Europe. By reference to the Council of Europe's recommendations and its material in the form of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) and the European Language Portfolio (ELP), questions are posed here as to how far the special needs of YLLs are being catered for by assessment practices in European schools. Examples are given of how the CEFR and ELP are currently used in YLL assessment, with a focus on recent developments in this direction in Norway, and conclusions are drawn on the outlook for YLL assessment in present day Europe.