Important legal notice
 
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Human trafficking in the EU

Update: October 2007

EU legislation being adopted against trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children

1) Legal and political background

Excerpts:TITLE VI. PROVISIONS ON POLICE AND JUDICIAL COOPERATION IN CRIMINAL MATTERS. Article 29 (ex Article K.1)

Without prejudice to the powers of the European Community, the Union's objective shall be to provide citizens with a high level of safety within an area of freedom, security and justice by developing common action among the Member States in the fields of police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters and by preventing and combating racism and xenophobia. That objective shall be achieved by preventing and combating crime, organised or otherwise, in particular terrorism,trafficking in persons and offences against children, illicit drug trafficking and illicit arms trafficking, corruption and fraud, through:

  • Tampere European Council - 15 and 16 October 1999. Presidency conclusions. A special meeting of the European Council held at Tampere, Finland, in October 1999, was dedicated to the establishment of an Area of Freedom, Security and Justice and elaborated the political guidelines for the next years, including in the field of immigration.Relevant conclusions : 22, 23, 26, 48

Excerpts

  1. The European Council stresses the need for more efficient management of migration flows at all their stages. It calls for the development, in close co-operation with countries of origin and transit, of information campaigns on the actual possibilities for legal immigration, and for the prevention of all forms of trafficking in human beings. A common active policy on visas and false documents should be further developed, including closer co-operation between EU consulates in third countries and, where necessary, the establishment of common EU visa issuing offices.
  1. The European Council is determined to tackle at its source illegal immigration, especially by combating those who engage in trafficking in human beings and economic exploitation of migrants. It urges the adoption of legislation foreseeing severe sanctions against this serious crime. The Council is invited to adopt by the end of 2000, on the basis of a proposal by the Commission, legislation to this end. Member States, together with Europol, should direct their efforts to detecting and dismantling the criminal networks involved. The rights of the victims of such activities shall be secured with special emphasis on the problems of women and children.
  1. The European Council calls for assistance to countries of origin and transit to be developed in order to promote voluntary return as well as to help the authorities of those countries to strengthen their ability to combat effectively trafficking in human beings and to cope with their readmission obligations towards the Union and the Member States.
  1. Without prejudice to the broader areas envisaged in the Treaty of Amsterdam and in the Vienna Action Plan, the European Council considers that, with regard to national criminal law, efforts to agree on common definitions, incriminations and sanctions should be focused in the first instance on a limited number of sectors of particular relevance, such as financial crime (money laundering, corruption, Euro counterfeiting), drugs trafficking, trafficking in human beings , particularly exploitation of women, sexual exploitation of children, high tech crime and environmental crime.

2) EU legislation, main proposals and Community acts

a. Decisions.

b. Other council Acts.

c. Joint Actions.

d. Proposals.

e. Communications.

3) Programmes financed by the Commission

  • AGISPDF File(PDF File 118 KB). 15/07/2002. 2001/0262 (CNS). Council Decision establishing a framework programme on police and judicial cooperation in criminal matters (AGIS)
  • STOP II. A programme of incentives, training and exchanges for persons responsible in the fight against trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of children.
  • Report on the Activity of the STOP programme PDF File(PDF File 98 KB)
  • DAPHNE. Measures to fight against violence towards children, young persons and women

4) Background documents

a. International dimension.

b. SCADplus.

On EUROPA in SCADplus (information repository on European union policies, institutional questions, dialogue with the citizens fact sheets and guides, database containing up-to-date documentary references)

5) International organisations and other links

6) Experts Group on Trafficking in Human Beings

a. The experts group.

b. Call for proposals.

c. Opinions / Reports.

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