WRITTEN QUESTION E-0369/02

by Mary Honeyball (PSE) to the Commission

(14 February 2002)

Subject: Human trafficking

Given the adoption of Mrs Sörensen's report For further actions in the fight against trafficking in women (A5-0127/2000) and the commitment made in a response to a question by Brian Crowley on 11 December 2001 (H-0924/01), would the Commission provide details of any plans it has to prevent trafficking in human beings?

Answer given by Mr Vitorino on behalf of the Commission

(26 March 2002)

The Commission believes that trafficking in human beings, in particular in women and children, is an abhorrent and increasingly worrying phenomenon and the Commission and the European Union have therefore over the past years developed a comprehensive policy to fight against trafficking in human beings in general and in women and children in particular. This policy is characterized by the central focus put on three main strands: the victims of trafficking, law enforcement and judicial co-operation, and prevention. As regards victims, the Commission has put forward on 11 February a proposal for a Directive on the short-term residence permit for victims who cooperate against their exploiters. This proposal will help to fight against and dismantle the networks. In the field of judicial co-operation in criminal matters, political agreement has been reached on a Framework Decision which essentially focuses on common definitions and common sanctions.

Specifically on prevention, the Commission launched in May 2001 the European Forum on Prevention of Organised Crime. The Forum was launched on the basis of a Commission Communication of November 2000 on crime prevention in general. In the context of the Forum, a specific workshop on prevention of trafficking in human beings has been set up. The first two workshops in 2001 have devoted their efforts to identifying specific and targeted areas where further co-operation and exchanges can be developed, for instance co-operation between law enforcement services and NGOs, the role of local governance and inspections with the aim to secure proper application of labour and other laws and regulations. The workshop will continue its work during 2002. The minutes and conclusions are published on the website of the Directorate General for Justice and Home Affairs of the Commission.

Furthermore, as regards financial support, the adoption of the STOP II Programme on 28 June 2001 will allow for continued support to projects on prevention of trafficking also after the first five year period which financially supported 85 projects. On 5 November 2001, the STOP II Committee agreed on a set of 18 new projects, out of which several include components relating to prevention. The STOP II Programme is also supporting the International Organisation for Migration together with Member States in preparing and carrying out an important conference in Brussels on trafficking in human beings in September 2002. The focus of the conference will be on trafficking and enlargement and will include prevention as one main topic.

Also, within the Hippokrates Programme on crime prevention, projects on prevention of trafficking in human beings and other interlinked topics are being supported.

It also has to be reminded that the Ministers of Justice and the Interior, together with their colleagues from the candidate countries, on 28 September agreed on 12 measures to combat trafficking, among them active operational co-operation, and organisation of information campaigns, i.e. prevention campaigns.

Looking at a wider geographical perspective, Belarus, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine (among others) have been identified as source and transit countries of trafficked women and are, in particular in the case of Moldova, exporters to the sex industry.

The Commission is aware of the challenges posed and has started to tackle them in relation to the above-mentioned so-called TACIS-countries by using a regional approach. A first strategy to fight these human rights violations has been developed. Among issues that have been identified are prevention measures such as information campaigns targeting potential victims, law enforcement staff, NGOs, and government officials.

Furthermore, the Commission is currently preparing a project in the Russian Federation. This project will be a joint EU/RUS/US project within the context Transatlantic Agenda in which information campaigns also previously have been carried out (Poland in 1998, Ukraine in 1998, Hungary and Bulgaria in 1999-2000).