Statement by Commissioner Malmström on the 7th EU Anti-Trafficking Day

17 October 2013 - On the eve of the 7^th EU Anti-Trafficking Day, Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström delivered a statement emphasising that Europe is working closer together to address human trafficking.

Europe has developed ambitious policies and measures to help the victims of today's slavery and put an end to this hideous crime.

New EU Directive on trafficking in human beings was adopted in record time, but some Member States are still lagging behind with its implementation. More than 6 months after the deadline for transposing has expired, 18  countries have notified a full transposition of the EU Directive into their national laws (Czech Republic, Sweden, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Finland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Ireland, Greece, France, Austria, Portugal, Slovakia and UK ) and 2 countries have only notified partial transposition (Belgium, Slovenia).

If properly implemented, the new EU Directive will make a real difference, both for prosecuting traffickers and for supporting victims, but also for preventing trafficking in human beings.

Commissioner Malmström also mentioned other concrete actions at EU level:  the 2012-2016 EU Strategy, the EU Platform of civil society organizations, the overview of the EU rights of the victims and finally the concise Guidelines for professionals who come across potential victims in the course of their day to day activities.

Full Statement