BRUSSELS, Belgium / RankWire.AI / – On October 16, the European Commission unveiled a comprehensive plan to fight human trafficking across the European Union. This initiative is released just before EU Anti-Trafficking Day on October 18. In 2023 and 2024, national authorities documented more than 20,000 victims, reflecting a 16.1% increase. The Commission emphasized that many cases still remain undetected. The strategy outlines six key priorities aimed at a unified approach to tackling the crime.
Trafficking within the EU manifests in various forms, including sexual exploitation, forced labor, criminal coercion, begging, and forced marriage. Women and girls constitute 63% of the registered victims, primarily for sexual exploitation, while children represent 15% of the total. Men account for 74% of victims trafficked for labor exploitation. The Commission highlighted that traffickers continue to target vulnerable populations and stressed that the EU must evolve its response to the increasing number of cases.
Magnus Brunner, the Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, stated that traffickers will be held accountable, their networks dismantled, and victims safeguarded. He reaffirmed that people should not be commodified or sold. This new initiative follows the EU strategy covering 2021 to 2025 and enhances the revised Anti-Trafficking Directive, which Member States are required to incorporate into national legislation by July 15, 2026. The directive expanded the scope of trafficking offences.
Six strategic priorities focus on technology and criminal networks
The initial priority emphasizes leveraging technology more effectively to prevent, identify, and investigate trafficking activities. Since much recruitment, advertising, and control of victims occur online, this is crucial. The second priority advocates for increased collaboration with businesses and labor inspectors to mitigate exploitation risks and enhance early intervention. The Commission aims to establish a European business coalition against trafficking. Closer cooperation among labor inspectors through the European Labour Authority is also planned.
The third priority addresses transnational trafficking associated with organised crime. It depends on cross-border cooperation, intelligence-led policing, financial investigations, and asset recovery. Member States are encouraged to establish more joint investigation teams with support from Europol and Eurojust, which already assist national investigators in cross-border cases. The fourth priority deals with migration-related risks, calling for stronger screening, border procedures, and safeguards at reception points for those arriving in the EU, as outlined in migration.
Enhancing crisis response and victim support
The fifth priority centers on bolstering prevention, preparedness, and swift action during crises. The Commission intends to develop guidance for recognizing trafficking risks in future emergencies, building on the 2022 anti-trafficking plan for individuals fleeing the war in Ukraine. The sixth priority aims to improve support and protection for at-risk groups and victims, including their rights during investigations and legal proceedings.
The European Parliament and the Council will now review and discuss the proposed strategy. The EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator will coordinate with national officials to ensure effective implementation. The Commission underscored that these six pillars create a coordinated, forward-looking approach to a cross-border crime. Member States retain responsibility for victim identification and offender prosecution under their national laws. The strategy will serve as a guiding framework for EU actions against trafficking in the upcoming years.