Type: Acts of the European Union: European Parliament Resolution on the fight against trafficking in human beings in the EU’s external relations

Authority: European Authorities - European Union: European Parliament

Date: 07/05/2016

Subject: The European Parliament recognises that trafficking in human beings as an organised crime occurs both across external borders as well as within internal borders thereby necessitating robust internal laws against trafficking in human beings as well as cooperation between countries; it recalls that victims of trafficking are often ‘invisible people’ in the country where they are being exploited, that they face difficulties caused by cultural and language diversity and that all this renders it even more difficult for them to denounce the crimes of which they are victims; denounces the fact that these difficulties are even more severe for particularly vulnerable categories of victims, such as women and children; it underscores the critical distinction that needs to be made between the concepts of trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling; while noting that smuggling is also among the activities of criminal networks and organised crime and can lead to a situation of trafficking, underlines however that the two concepts require different legal and practical responses and involve different state obligations. The Parliament insists that the criminal justice response should guarantee equal and effective access to justice for victims and information about their legal rights; calls on all states to comply with their international obligation to uphold the rights of victims in their jurisdiction, to ensure full support for victims, including by providing psychological support, irrespective of their willingness to cooperate in criminal proceedings. Moreover, the Parliament insists on the need for the EU to enhance police and judicial cooperation between Member States and with third countries – in particular with countries of origin and transit of victims of trafficking in human beings – in the prevention, investigation and prosecution of trafficking in human beings, in particular via Europol and Eurojust

Classification: Dignity - Art. 5 Trafficking in human beings - Equality - Art. 24 Children’s rights - Justice - Art. 47 Justice: remedy

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