EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 2026-2030

CoMensha is the Dutch national Coordination Center against Human Trafficking that works to protect the interests and rights of victims of human trafficking in the Netherlands. Our contributions are primarily focused on victim protection and the prevention of human trafficking, particularly with regard to data collection, in line with our national mandate.

La Strada International - European NGO Platform against Trafficking in Human Beings welcomes the development of a new EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for the coming years, and underlines the importance of a comprehensive approach covering all stages of human trafficking, from prevention to investigation and prosecution, with the rights, protection and support of victims at its core, at both EU…

European Network on Statelessness (ENS) welcomes the opportunity to contribute evidence to inform the forthcoming update to the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. ENS is a civil society alliance with over 180 members in 41 countries (including NGOs, lawyers, academics, activists, and other independent experts) committed to breaking the cycle of statelessness in Europe.

Many victims and potential victims continue to face significant barriers to accessing their rights under the directive, particularly when undocumented. - People who have an irregular residence status are still in most cases unable to engage with the police to safely report experiences of abuse that may amount to trafficking, without risking immigration enforcement action.

The CNCDH has defined the following priorities for the next EU Strategy against THB (2026-2030) which are set out in a separate document (in French): — protecting victims, witnesses and frontline responders to improve participation in legal proceedings; — effective access to public services for victims of trafficking; — improving data production; — Conducting a European study on asylum policy for victims of…

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

UNICEF welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the development of the next EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings. The new EU Strategy offers a critical opportunity to place prevention, protection, response and reintegration at the centre of EU anti-trafficking action, with a specific focus on child victims and children at risk, including in EU external action.

1.Preliminary identification as a data subject is often not sufficient to secure access to rights to immediate support, rehabilitation and healthcare (permanently). Those affected who, for fear or because of their trauma, do not file criminal complaints, are currently often left completely unprotected, despite clear vulnerabilities. This is because their rights are linked to judicial proceedings. 2.

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As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, we believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

Ladies and gentlemen of the European Commission and of the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, Ms Diane Schmitt, EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, we are sending you these comments, not only as professionals, but also as survivors of trafficking in human beings.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

1) common criminalisation of all forms of pimping to effectively combat trafficking for sexual exploitation, sexual servitude and pornography. This harmonisation would reduce regulatory asymmetries that currently fuel criminal movements and make cross-border investigations more difficult.

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

We call for the recognition and integration of sport trafficking within the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings for 2026-2030. Sport trafficking constitutes a structurally embedded, transnational form of trafficking that falls within the scope of Directive 2011/36/EU, yet remains systematically under-identified and under-addressed in EU policy and practice.

The Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) welcomes the European Commissions decision to collect evidence for the preparation of the new EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

ChildX is a Swedish organization dedicated to combating the sexual exploitation and trafficking of children, working to shift responsibility from victims to perpetrators and to ensure childrens rights are upheld. Since 2014, we have combined knowledge enhancement, field interventions, and advocacylocally and internationallydrawing on the expertise of survivors to inform prevention, protection, and systemic change.

Insights for a shared european frame against human trafficking The evolution of the dynamics of human trafficking, more and more woven with migratory processes, asylum systems and boarders management policies, calls for a profound rethinking of the responses adopted at the European level.

The European Guardianship Network (EGN) welcomes the call for evidence by the Commission in relation to a new EU Strategy on combatting trafficking in human beings. The EGN brings together organisations which deliver guardianship to unaccompanied children across EU Member States, alongside governmental contact points in matters of guardianship, as well as European agencies and other international organisations and…

Representing 25 Swedish civil society organisations, the Swedish Platform against Human Trafficking welcomes the development of the new EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 20262030 and stresses the need for a victim-centred, human rights-based and gender-responsive approach in line with Directive (EU) 2024/1712.

In this submission ENoMW assesses the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 20212025 (2021-2025 Strategy) from the perspective of womens rights, with particular attention to migrant women and trafficking for sexual exploitation.

INLs activities within national and EUfunded projects against labour exploitation since 2020 (SU.PR.EME. Italia and A.L.T. Caporalato!, completed in 2022; A.L.T. Caporalato D.U.E., concluded in September 2025; and A.L.T. Caporalato T.R.E., launched on 1 October 2025 with a 24-month duration) have produced concrete results and good practices that could inform shared European standards.

The new EU Strategy should prioritize: Development of campaigns promoting responsible consumer behaviour (for products and services that may be the result of forced labour). Strengthening prevention, with a particular emphasis on prevention among youth, migrant workers, and those experiencing homelessness.

Prostitution and Trafficking as Interlinked Systems of Exploitation In line with the long-standing position of the European Womens Lobby (EWL), prostitution and trafficking for sexual exploitation are structurally interconnected.

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) welcomes the opportunity offered by the European Commission to contribute to the development of the next EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings. In the attached file, ICMPD would like to share several recommendations for areas of importance to be considered during the drafting process of the new Strategy.

Migrants at Work is a lived-experience-led organisation dedicated to exploring and addressing the ways in which immigration systems intersect with labour exploitation. Our work focuses on advocating for migrant workers, many of whom are trapped in exploitative working conditions facilitated by legal visa routes, including employer-dependent and state-regulated labour migration pathways.

The Community of SantEgidio, in the context of its activities to support migrants and refugees, has been accredited under the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies of Italy as an anti-trafficking body, SantEgidio has been operating in Italy since the nineties in the field of identification, protection and humanitarian corridors for victims and prevention of trafficking.

"As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, Centre for Women War Victims - ROSA, a women's human rights organization, believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

The EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings 2026-2030 represents an important opportunity to consolidate progress achieved under the 2021-2025 Strategy and to further strengthen prevention as a core pillar of EU anti-trafficking policy. Experience from national implementation demonstrates that prevention remains essential, yet unevenly developed and insufficiently measured across Member States.

This policy paper is submitted as a contribution by the Themistocles and Dimitris Tsatsos Foundation - Centre for European Constitutional Law to the European Commissions public consultation on the new EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.

With regards to the new EU Strategy against THB, the Centre against Child and Human Trafficking (Centrum Kinderhandel en Mensenhandel, in short: CKM) would like to stress that the priorities of the 2021-2025 Strategy continue to be relevant. We would like to share the following input for the upcoming strategy: 1. Put victims first by promoting victim-centred anti-trafficking approaches.

Sexual exploitation and trafficking of women, girls and children for sexual exploitation represent modern slavery that uses the most vulnerable people as mere commodities, in flagrant violation of human rights. Despite the efforts of all actors involved and the awareness raising for the prevention and fight against trafficking in human beings, there is a need for future policies, at global, EU and state level, to…

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Trafficking in human beings remains a persistent and adaptive form of organised crime in the EU, increasingly enabled by digital technologies and structural vulnerabilities. While the recast Anti-Trafficking Directive strengthens the legal framework, experience from the 20212025 Strategy shows that victims continue to face serious barriers in practice.

Except for and in addition to previous corresponding reports, directives, strategies, recommendations in combatting HT and towards the prevention, protection, restoration and social reintegration of victims/survivors: Looking exploitation in humans under the wider spectrum of Modern Slavery Human Trafficking (MSHT) Relevant legislation within each Member State-across EU and its implementation National Referral…

I Have Rights (IHR) is a non-profit refugee law clinic operating on the Greek island of Samos. We provide free legal information to asylum seekers to guide them through the asylum process, ensure they understand their rights and support them in preparing their asylum claim. We also engage in advocacy and strategic litigation.

As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, we believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, we believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

MEN VIA, as a new member of the EU civil society platform since last year would like to give the following feedback for the development of the new EU-strategy against Trafficking in Human Beings (THB). a) THB for the purpose of labor exploitation and identification of victims One issue of concern over the years is the identification of victims in the field of THB for the purpose of labor exploitation.

AMBER Alert Europe welcomes the whole-of-society approach of the strategy to combat trafficking in human beings, as well as the multi-stage approach it proposes, from prevention to prosecution. The Foundation agrees with the European Commission regarding the need for increased awareness on combating trafficking in human beings.

The ERADICATING II project concludes that combating human trafficking for labour exploitation requires a cohesive, holistic strategy that balances shared priorities with countryspecific responses. Core needs are continuous specialised training, stronger interagency coordination, sustainable funding, and a victimcentred approach, all adapted to the growing role of digital methods used by traffickers.

Below are the views of individual prosecutors dealing with trafficking in human beings at the Office. Legislation Many EU countries have not criminalised the purchase of sexual acts. This is an important factor in combating trafficking in human beings. A success factor in the EU’s fight against trafficking in human beings for sexual purposes would be to invite all EU countries to consider following The Nordic Model.

Filed in Swedish · English published by the European Commission

As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, we believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

The Strategy should pay attention to strengthening and deepening the dimensions relating to incitement, aiding and abetting, in line with Article 3 of Directive 2011/36/EU, benefiting from the exchange of experiences, relevant case law and practical guidelines between judicial and police authorities in Member States (MS).

Priority Axes for a Child-, Victim- and Survivor- centred, Trauma-informed, Gender-sensitive and Rights-based Coherent and Operational EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy Submitted by: General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons and Institutional Protection (GSVPIP) Ministry of Migration and Asylum/ Greece

As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform Against Trafficking in Human Beings, Asociación Amar Dragoste believes collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protecting victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

The Red Cross EU Office (RCEU) is a membership office representing the 27 National Red Cross Societies in the EU, the Norwegian Red Cross, the Icelandic Red Cross and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

As an Independent National Rapporteur on Trafficking for Belgium, Myria (the Federal Migration Centre), welcomes the initiative of the Commission to consult the external stakeholders on the top priorities to be initiated by the Commission in the framework of the EU strategy on combating trafficking in human beings 2026-2030.

It is proposed to activate dedicated funding for the recruitment of experts in artificial intelligence, with particular attention to language processing in digital applications. These skills would be used to analyse data related to indoor and outdoor advertisements, with the aim of identifying indicators of potential exploitation.

As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, we believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

Trafficking in Human Beings (THB) constitutes a serious violation of fundamental rights and remains a highly profitable crime driven by structural impunity and persistent demand, in particular for the sexual exploitation of women and girls.

The European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) welcomes the development of a new EU strategy on combating trafficking in human beings 2026-2030, and the opportunity to provide input into the call for evidence. This contribution highlights priority areas where a gender-responsive and victim-centred approach should be further strengthened in the forthcoming strategy.

ACCEM presented its contributions with the aim of contributing to the strengthening of European policies in this area. These recommendations are aimed at improving early detection and identification, specialised assistance and ensuring victims’ rights, as well as effectively addressing emerging challenges and new forms of exploitation.

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Professor Sonia Morano-Foadi, Oxford Brookes University and Dr Matilde Ventrella, Liverpool John Moores. Based on our ongoing research, we recommend that the new EU Strategy pursue the establishment of a European Referral Mechanism (ERM) to complement and strengthen existing National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs).

Ciò che viene definito immigrazione clandestina è, più delle volte, il risultato della tratta di esseri umani. È riduttivo e pericoloso definire clandestine la maggior parte delle persone migranti che incontriamo.

In the fight against trafficking, there is still a focus on the prosecution of crime and organised crime, which determines the areas of public intervention from which the problem is addressed. Considers it necessary for the Strategy to be integrated into all European social policies in a manner consistent with social justice, the rule of law and democratic values; without losing sight of their close relationship…

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Crossborder trafficking cases routinely unravel the moment a victim leaves the destination country: contact is lost, supplementary statements cannot be taken, psychological or psychiatric assessments and victimimpact reports cannot be secured, and evidence can no longer be corroborated across jurisdictions.

The need to discourage demand should be improved and the use of services provided by victims of trafficking should be criminalised. If we continue to refer to ‘conscious use’, we face a evidential difficulty that will make effective prosecution more difficult. The criminalisation of pimping in all its forms, which some countries such as Spain do not include in the Criminal Code, would be an improvement.

Filed in Spanish · English published by the European Commission

As a member of the EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings, we believe collaborative, transnational work is key to combatting trafficking and protect victims. As a result, we have co-drafted a brief document regarding key issues and recommendations for the New Strategy.

The CNCA Coordinamento Nazionale delle Comunità Accoglienti suggests the following observations: The phenomenon of human trafficking is rapidly and constantly evolving, and in some Member States, such as Italy, it is closely linked to migration flows and international protection, as well as the consequences of national migration governance policies.

The new EU strategy should put a strong focus on the particular vulnerability of children. The proportion of children trafficked has increased significantly over the last 20 years worldwide, but also in the EU, reaching more than 30 % and almost 40 % internationally.

Filed in German · English published by the European Commission

The forthcoming EU Anti Trafficking Strategy offers a key opportunity to strengthen the Unions collective response by adopting a more coherent, migration informed and route based approach to protection. Recognizing that vulnerabilities accumulate along migration corridors, the Strategy should emphasize coordinated action across origin, transit and destination countries.

Attention to labor exploitation when developing regulations and policies: Regulations and policies regarding labor migration and the labor market of the EU or its Member States (from the possibility of transnational posting to the granting of work permits to third-country nationals) influence the modus operandi and business models of perpetrators of labor exploitation and the position of vulnerable people in the…

The European Disability Forum (EDF) welcomes the preparation of an EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy 2026-2030. Persons with disabilities face a heightened risk of being trafficked and exploited, yet they remain largely invisible in policy and practice.

According to Eurostat (2023) and the 5th Report on Combating THB (2025), there has been a significant increase in survivors, primarily women and girls after COVID-19 period. This particularly alarming increase has occurred despite the Directive (EU) 2024/1712, the EU strategy 2021-2025, policy measures, initiatives and programmes and should prompt a critical analysis of the deeper causes underlying the failure or…

Comments by the Ombudsperson for Children in Poland on suggested ways to strengthen the protection of children against human trafficking. The following elements of the fight against child trafficking need to be strengthened and implemented: - identifying and documenting cases of child trafficking; - improving communication channels between key actors in the national and international child protection system in order…

Efforts to eradicate human trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation in Europe remain fundamentally constrained so long as prostitution continues to be normalised, accepted, or legally facilitated. Evidence from international human rights bodies and European institutions consistently demonstrates that the existence of a legal or quasi-legal sex trade sustains the structural conditions that enable…

As part of the upcoming EU strategy, the transposition of the 2024 1712 Directive will be a first objective. An opportunity to aim for strong ambitions to advance the fight against trafficking. Our participation in this consultation as an NGO is based on our experience of supporting victims of trafficking for labour exploitation in France, as a specialised association since 1994 and having accompanied more than 1300…

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Christian Council International appreciates the opportunity to provide input on the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. In the attached document, we highlight key concerns related to human dignity, family vulnerability and the conditions necessary for genuine freedom.

Save the Children Italy proposes to: Ensure the early identification, rapid referral, assistance, and protection of minors victims of trafficking at border points, reception facilities and slums areas. Guarantee, in collaboration with organizations responsible for child protection, capacity-building activities and specific training for public actors in contact with minors who are victims or at risk of trafficking…

The Regulatory Institute is pleased to submit its feedback on the EU strategy on combating trafficking in human beings 2026-2030. The Regulatory Institute is a non-profit think tank dedicated to improving regulation globally so that regulations benefit us all.

Input from the Office of the Plenipotentiary of the Slovak Government for Roma Communities on the new EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings 2026-2030 1. The call speaks about vulnerable groups but does not explain why some people are more vulnerable than others.

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Initially, we would like to point out that when the victims of trafficking are children, the penalties provided by law should be the highest possible, on the one hand due to the sensitivity of childhood and taking into account their best interests, and on the other hand to deter potential perpetrators from committing the offense.

While the current EU Strategy is progressing, the Dutch police see that the topics listed therein are still topical. If we can add to this, this concerns the following topics: A European vision/strategy for tackling the (new) phenomenon of Crime/Violance as a Service, in relation to criminal exploitation.

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The new EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings must focus on: improving cross-border cooperation and the exchange of operational messages between law enforcement authorities in view of the increasing mobility and itinerant nature of organised crime groups – proactiveness in identifying and combating situations of exploitation of citizens from third countries – reducing the vulnerability factors that…

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We believe it is appropriate to act more decisively on two fronts -Expand the number of actors who can carry out the identification of victims of trafficking and serious exploitation by involving civil society entities to reach the greatest number of potential victims -Strengthen the dialogue between member countries to make strategies for combating and identifying victims more effective

This initiative is presented in the context of the consultation on the new EU Strategy against Trafficking in Human Beings and builds on the experience of the Greek reality, where trafficking in human beings remains underrecognised, socially normalised and institutionally underaddressed. Greece is a country of destination, transit and internal exploitation.

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The Penelope Association. Coordination of social solidarity ETS is an accredited anti-trafficking body that has been operating since 2002 in Sicily in the context of the emergence, assistance and social integration of victims of trafficking in the provinces of Catania and Messina.

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Human Trafficking is a grave, ongoing, and persistent denial of human dignity and breach of human rights, which is on the rise worldwide. While all trafficking is egregious the consensus is that trafficking for sexual exploitation inflicts particularly profound and lasting trauma on its victims.

The crime of trafficking in human beings as a modern form of slavery constitutes one of the most serious crimes, violating the fundamental human values of freedom and human dignity. Modern slavery can take the form of sexual exploitation, forced labour, organ trafficking, forced begging or forced marriage.

Filed in Polish · English published by the European Commission

Note: The following are proposals from the perspective of the National Rapporteur on combating trafficking in human beings: Strengthen digital capabilities: Develop advanced tools to detect online trafficking in human beings, including AI-based monitoring and cooperation with technology companies. Ensure effective implementation of the Digital Services Act (DSA).