Trafficking in human beings

3.12.2009

ORAL QUESTION WITH DEBATE O-0149/09
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Anna Hedh, on behalf of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs, Edit Bauer, on behalf of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality
to the Commission

Trafficking in human beings is a modern form of slavery and an extremely profitable business for organised crime. Europol's assessment for 2009 is that trafficking of women for sexual exploitation has not decreased and trafficking for forced labour is on the increase. Following the entry into force of the Lisbon Treaty, a new proposal will be put forward to replace the Commission's proposal for a Council Framework Decision on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings, and protecting victims.

 

1. Does the Commission agree that the EU’s approach to action in this field should be human rights centred, holistic and focus on external relations, return and reintegration policies, social affairs, social inclusion, migration and asylum, and that the following key elements should be taken as a basis:

 

a. the level of penalties and sanctions for those, legal persons included, who make a profit from trafficking in human beings should reflect the seriousness of the crime and have a dissuasive effect;

 

b. further action should focus on protecting the victim, taking the situation of minors into due consideration, by, inter alia, ensuring that assistance to victims is unconditional and that the consent of a victim to exploitation is always irrelevant;

 

c. in order to discourage demand, further action could also focus on users of the services of trafficked people;

 

d. any provision on jurisdiction should be coordinated with the draft Framework Decision on prevention and settlement of conflicts of exercise of jurisdiction in criminal proceedings?

 

2. Does the Commission aim to improve the coordination of information by asking Eurojust, Europol and Frontex, in consultation with the FRA, the Gender Institute and NGOs, to publish every year a joint report on trafficking in human beings, and by supporting the development of a common template for Member States and third countries for the collection of data relating to trafficking in human beings?

 

3. What concrete action does the Commission envisage in order to step up prevention of trafficking in human beings?

 

 

Tabled: 03.12.2009

Forwarded: 07.12.2009

Deadline for reply: 14.12.2009