Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims

La Strada International - European NGO Platform against Trafficking in Human Beings - comprises 30 AT NGOs in 24 European countries. Our members assist a large part of the detected and assisted trafficking persons in Europe each year. Through the direct assistance and prevention work, we monitor the situa-tion on the ground.

Child Circle, a centre of expertise and public interest engagement to protect children from violence and promote their rights in Europe, welcomes the initiative of the EU to strengthen measures to identify, assist and support trafficked persons. Our submission focuses on the proposal to require States to put in place national referral mechanism.

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre (DRCC) welcomes the European Commissions proposed revision to Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims. DRCC is a national organisation offering a wide range of services to any person affected by rape, sexual assault, sexual harassment or childhood sexual abuse.

The proposed update of the Anti-Trafficking Directive is welcome particularly in: (a) endeavouring to better secure trafficked victim/survivors' identification; (b) clarifying legal persons' liability; (c) improved data collection; (d) mandatory criminalisation of the knowing use of an act/service provided by trafficked victim/survivors.

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.

The Alliance Nordic Model includes over 45 associations, initiatives, numerous individuals from civil society and survivors of prostitution from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Our alliance partners have many years of practical experience in working with prostitutes and outstanding expertise on the consequences of legalised prostitution in Germany.

The Red Cross EU Office has engaged in the review process of the EU Directive by contributing to the open Consultation held in the first quarter of 2022 and in the research that led to the Impact Assessment Report, through two interviews, building on the expertise of National Red Cross Societies in Europe.

Equality Now welcomes the provisions aiming at improving the identification of victims of trafficking, the liability of legal persons, the data collection and the mandatory criminalisation of the knowing use of an act provided by a victim of trafficking since very few member states have implemented this criminalisation so far.

FAFCE welcomes the adoption by the European Commission of a proposal to review the EU rules when it comes to the fight against human trafficking. Our Federation acknowledges the relevance of an update of the 2011 Directive in light of the evolution of the forms of exploitation for the past decade.

The European Network of Migrant Women (ENOMW) welcomes the definition of forced marriage as a form of exploitation, and the inclusion of stronger requirements for prosecution, monitoring and data collection in the Directive 2011/36/UE (the Directive). However, we are concerned that some major forms of exploitation are still absent, notably reproductive exploitation and sexual exploitation in pornography.

The Immigrant Council of Ireland (ICI) is an NGO and Independent Law Centre. Our feedback is informed from our experience of providing legal services to victims of human trafficking and involvement in EU funded transnational projects over the past decade.

Hope and Homes for Children, ECPAT, Terres des Hommes the Netherlands, Save the Children, the European Disability Forum, Eurochild, Missing Children Europe, International Social Service, Child Helpline International, LUMOS, Street Child and Child Identity Protection welcome the European Commission's proposal to review Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its…

PICUM is a network of 164 organisations working to ensure fundamental rights and social justice for undocumented people in 31 countries, primarily based in Europe. Several PICUM members work on trafficking in human beings and provide direct support to victims of trafficking.

To whom it may concern, please find attached the feedback of the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) to the European Commission for the Have Your Say initiative on fighting human trafficking. In case of any follow-up questions, please reach out to [email removed]. Sincerely, [name removed] Network

This submission by ECPAT International is in response to the open call for feedback on Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims. This submission has been circulated with organisations member of the ECPAT network in European Unions countries.

Victim Support Europe (VSE) is the leading European umbrella organisation advocating on behalf of all victims of crime, no matter what the crime, no matter who the victim is. VSE represents 69 member organisations, providing support and information to more than 2 million people affected by crime every year in 34 countries.

The European Womens Lobby welcomes some elements made in this proposal of update of the Anti-Trafficking Directive and especially the provisions aiming at improving the identification of victims of trafficking, the liability of legal persons, the data collection and the mandatory criminalisation of the knowing use of an act provided by a victim of trafficking since very few member states have implemented this…

Ruhama welcomes this opportunity to contribute to the Commissions adoption of the review of the Anti-Trafficking Directive. Ruhama asserts that combatting trafficking and sexual exploitation is crucial to ensure a more equal Europe for all. Ruhama has been supporting women impacted by sexual exploitation for over 30 years through frontline service provision, public advocacy and awareness raising.

The amendment to Directive 2011/36/EU must – as a matter of urgency – incorporate the practice of surrogacy, recognising it as a criminal offence of human trafficking by all EU Member States through supranational legislation.

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission (IHREC) is Irelands independent National Human Trafficking Rapporteur. IHREC welcomes the European Commission (EC) evaluation and resulting proposal for Directive 2011/36/EU. The Directive remains essential as it brings clarity and synchronicity in all aspects of response to human trafficking across the EU Member States (MS).

Terre des Hommes Netherlands (TdH NL) strongly welcomes and supports the European Commissions proposal to amend the Directive 2011/36/EU to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings and protect its victims, remodelling it to address new challenges, including its online dimension. Trafficking in human beings and in particular trafficked children, requires an international, multi-layered response.

The Draft Directive strengthens the overall EU anti-trafficking policy framework, particularly on provisions around identification of victims, liability for legal persons and data collection. However, it falls short in crucial areas like combating technology-facilitated trafficking and reducing the demand fostering trafficking for sexual exploitation.

Human Trafficking exists in every region of the EU and poses a grave danger to individual well-being, public health, public safety, national security, economic development, and prosperity. While EU seems committed to strengthening its approach to preventing human trafficking addressing the cause of human trafficking is fundamental to achieving this desired objective.

Submission for the ‘combined evaluation roadmap/inception impact assessment “Fighting human trafficking – review of EU rules”. La Strada International - European NGO Platform against Trafficking in Human Beings, comprising 25 members and 5 associate members in 24 European countries, welcomes the opportunity to provide input for the combined evaluation roadmap/inception impact assessment “Fighting human trafficking –…

Victim Support Europe (VSE) is the leading European umbrella organisation advocating on behalf of all victims of crime, no matter what the crime, no matter who the victim is. VSE represents 62 member organisations, providing support and information to more than 2 million people affected by crime every year in 30 countries.

The Hungarian Women’s Empowerment Alliance, in line with its parent organisation, the European Women’s Lobby (European Women’s Lobby), and in particular the Brussels Call movement, which is working to promote the equality model, and in particular the fact that Hungary’s source country of trafficking for sexual exploitation is proposed to: The Directive should continue to focus on the fact that the majority of the…

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Women for the Dire, Women for Action (FDFA) made some key remarks on the Anti-Trafficking Directive • The Commission must ensure the introduction of minimum requirements in States to criminalise the purchase of sexual services from a victim of trafficking in human beings.

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Let-Italia recognizes the significance of the Anti-Trafficking Directive as a core pillar in the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that this is a highly gendered crime given that the majority of victims are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (79%), and that the vast majority of those victims are women and girls (according to the UN 71% of victims are women).

The European Network of Migrant Women gathers over 50 grassroots and advocacy organisations working on the ground with migrant women all across Europe. From their experiences and our analysis and expertise, we know that women and girls are disproportionately at risk of becoming victims of human trafficking, especially for the purposes of sexual exploitation in prostitution.

Human trafficking is a highly gendered crime - the majority of victims are subjected to trafficking for sexual exploitation (79%), and that the vast majority of those victims are women and girls (according to UN 71% of victims are women). Equality Now acknowledges that the Anti-Trafficking Directive is a core instrument in the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls.

PAG-ASA is a specialized organization providing support to victims of human trafficking in Belgium since more than 25 years (both emergency and long-term support, inc. shelter, social counseling, & legal assistance). PAG-ASA would like to thank the EC for the initiative to ask the opinion of civil society and welcomes the opportunity to comment the Roadmap.

The European Sex Worker’s Rights Alliance (ESWA) – previously the International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSE) - is a sex worker-led network representing 111 organisations and member groups in 35 countries across Europe and Central Asia.

Recognising that the vast majority (60%) of trafficking in human beings happening in the EU territory is for sexual exploitation (as mentioned in the EU Strategy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, 2021-2025), and that the vast majority of trafficked people for sexual exploitation are women and children, the EU and its Member States must act to eradicate trafficking of women and children for sexual…

Based on a thorough assessment of the Evaluation Roadmap and the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive itself, the OSCE recommends to undertake new legislative and non-legislative measures (so called “Option 4”). More details in the attached input.

The Swedish Ant-trafficking organisation Realstars recognises the significance of the Anti-Trafficking Directive as a core pillar in the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls, recognising that this is a highly gendered crime given that the majority of victims are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (79%), and that the vast majority of those victims are women and girls (according…

Missing Children Europe (MCE) is the European federation of 31 grassroots organisation working for the prevention, protection, and support of missing children’s cases. Every year an estimated two hundred thousand children go missing in Europe.

Women@thewell supports the below submission from EWL and echos their concerns and points raised. The EWL recognises the significance of the Anti-Trafficking Directive as a core pillar in the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls, recognising that this is a highly gendered crime given that the majority of victims are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (79%), and that the vast…

KOK – the German NGO Network against Trafficking in Human Beings welcomes the opportunity to provide comments on the evaluation process and roadmap regarding the process towards a potential revision of the EU Directive 2011/36. KOK is member of La Strada International NGO platform and follows entirely its submission on this process, too.

MARTA Centre recognizes the significance of the Anti-Trafficking Directive as a core pillar in the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls, recognizing that this is a highly gendered crime given that the majority of victims are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (79%), and that the vast majority of those victims are women and girls (according to the UN 71% of victims are women).

The International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) welcomes the opportunity to comment the roadmap recently published and outlining the process that may lead to the revision of the EU Directive 2011/36.

Data collected across the EU clearly indicate that the number of cases of trafficking in human beings has continued to increase in recent years. The existing legislation has therefore proved insufficient to effectively protect people from trafficking in human beings.

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Since 1982, Forum réfugiés-Cosi provides legal and social support to asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection, and third country nationals in administrative detention centres. Moreover, the NGO leads advocacy and awareness-raising activities to defend the asylum and fundamental rights in France and in Europe.

EIGE welcomes the published roadmap on “Fighting human trafficking – review of EU rules”, particularly the aim of the initiative at strengthening the gender dimension of the legal framework. EIGE recognise all forms of trafficking of women such as domestic workers and forced marriages but will focus on trafficking of women and girls for sexual exploitation for this evaluation.

According to our field work we consider that the review of EU rules and directives to fight human trafficking should give further focus on: 1- victims proactive identification and protection to strengthen their opportunities for safe reporting and complaints 2- capacity building and training for justice professionals, including labour inspectors, law enforcement personnel, and mainly judges and magistrates to…

Mr Myria, the Belgian independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, considers that the existing instruments, including Directive 2011/36, have demonstrated their usefulness but also their limitations, especially in the implementation and lack of impact assessment of the planned measures.

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REFH recognises the importance of the Anti-Trafficking Directive as a pillar of the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls, recognises that it is a highly gendered crime, as the majority of victims are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (79 %), and the vast majority of these victims are women and girls (71 % UN).

Filed in French · English published by the European Commission

The EWL recognises the significance of the Anti-Trafficking Directive as a core pillar in the EU’s fight against all forms of violence against women and girls, recognising that this is a highly gendered crime given that the majority of victims are victims of trafficking for sexual exploitation (79%), and that the vast majority of those victims are women and girls (according to the UN 71% of victims are women).

The core points about the necessary changes: • For the Commission to ensure the introduction of minimum State requirements to criminalise the purchase of sex from a victim of sex trafficking • To remove the requirement that it be a "known" victim of trafficking for the above minimum standard as this cannot be practically persecuted and has been shown to significantly weaken this provision within the Directive • To…

Hello, I give a reply as President of the Amicale du Nid, a French NGO which, since its creation in 1946, accompanies thousands of prostitutes every year to the end of prostitution and with the experience of the application of the French law of 13 April 2016 aimed at strengthening the fight against the prostitution system and supporting prostitutes.

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Lumos is an international children’s charity fighting for every child’s right to a family by transforming care systems around the world. An estimated 5.4 million children are trapped in institutions globally including so called orphanages. Research has shown that these institutions can harm a child’s growth and development.