EU Statement on the Trafficking in Persons Protocol at the Twelfth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized[...]

President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the European Union and its Member States. The candidate countries North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova and Bosnia and Herzegovina[1]and Georgia, the EFTA countries Iceland and Liechtenstein, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Armenia, Andorra and San Marino, align themselves with this statement.

Trafficking in human beings is one of the most terrible crimes of our time, a violation of human dignity, a threat to societies in the European Union and beyond. It is a global problem that ignores borders and builds on the exploitation of the most vulnerable, including women, children and marginalised communities to make huge profits. In the EU, 55 of the most threatening criminal networks are engaged in trafficking in persons as main activity.

The European Union remains deeply committed to combatting this crime in all its forms and we reaffirm our dedication to working closely with international partners, civil society organisations and the private sector.

In 2022, more than 10 000 victims of trafficking in human beings were registered in the EU, representing a 41% increase compared to 2021. Of course, many more victims remain undetected. 63% of all the victims in the EU are women and girls. Children make up 15% of the victims. 75% of child victims were female. Moreover, there has been a noticeable shift in the citizenship of identified victims of trafficking in the EU. In 2022, over half of the victims (63%) were non-EU citizens, 59% of them being female. In previous years, the majority were EU nationals. With regards to the forms of exploitation, there has been a sharp increase in the number of victims of trafficking for labour exploitation in the last years. In 2022, for the first time, the number of registered victims for labour exploitation came close to the number of victims sexually exploited. The majority of victims trafficked for labour exploitation were male.

This year was also marked by the modification of the EU legislation. The amended EU Anti-trafficking Directive adopted on 13 June 2024 takes into account new challenges and the need to reinforce the protection of victims while at the same time reinforcing the criminal justice response. The new legislation will ensure a harmonised approach within the EU for all Member States. It includes new emerging forms of exploitation: the exploitation of surrogacy, of forced marriage and of illegal adoption. It places a higher emphasis on the online dimension, by including aggravating circumstance when trafficking online relates to sexual exploitation. For the first time, across the EU, the knowingly use of services provided by victims of trafficking becomes a criminal offence. This applies for all forms of services. EU countries are required to establish Formal Referral Mechanisms, enhancing early identification and assistance of victims. The amended Directive also ensures the complementarity between the asylum and anti-trafficking procedures. EU countries are requested to designate National anti-trafficking coordinators and to adopt, implement and update National action plans, if this is not yet the case.

In short, this Directive will reinforce the implementation of the United Nations Trafficking in Persons Protocol, a key international instrument. While the Protocol sets broad international standards, the EU Directive goes further by translating these standards into specific, enforceable legal obligations for EU Member States, ensuring a coordinated European response to trafficking in human beings that reflects the Protocol's goals within the regional context. This coordinated approach will also help to support the cooperation with non-EU countries.

The EU has made significant steps in combatting trafficking in human beings, notably through our legal framework, through a victim centred approach and through dedicated anti-trafficking actions and operational cooperation. However, much more can be done. To this end, it is important to:

• Further strengthen international cooperation: trafficking networks operate transnationally and cross-border cooperation has to be enhanced among states to disrupt these criminal operations and bring perpetrators to justice.
• Focus on prevention: all together, we should better address the root causes that fuel trafficking in human beings with a focus on discouraging demand and breaking the criminal model of traffickers, including online.
• Support and protection of victims: the EU remains committed to ensuring that victims of trafficking receive the gender-responsive and child friendly protection and support they need, including legal, medical and psychological assistance as well as ensuring their rights within legal proceedings.
• Enhance digital cooperation: as traffickers increasingly use and exploit victims through digital platforms, we should further strengthen our efforts to disrupt online trafficking networks and use new technologies in our favour.

On 18 October is the EU Anti-Trafficking Day. This is another opportunity to raise awareness, to inform and share practices about trafficking in human beings and to bring to light this still too much hidden crime.

To conclude, the European Union calls on all parties to intensify efforts and ensure that trafficking in human beings remains a priority on the global agenda. Through our shared determination and collective action, we can work together towards end trafficking in human beings.

Thank you.

[1]North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.

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