Human trafficking in Europe monitored by GRETA

Each year since 2012, the Council of Europe publishes a report from the Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Traffickers in Human Beings (GRETA) on trafficking for labour exploitation in Europe. The 7th annual report , published on April 3 shows that 21st century slavery is on the rise in Europe. Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is still the predominant form of human trafficking. Labour exploitation is on the rise, and emerges as “the predominant form of trafficking in countries such as Belgium, Cyprus, Georgia, Portugal, Serbia and the United Kingdom”. But all countries “that have been evaluated twice by GRETA so far have indicated an upward trend in trafficking for labour exploitation in recent years”. If women and children are affected by this form of human trafficking, the most identified victims are men. They are “often exploited in industries including agriculture, construction and fisheries whereas women tend to be exploited in more isolated settings such as domestic or care work – where they are sometimes victims of both labour and sexual exploitation.”

The Year 2017 saw further progress in the application of the Convention on Action Against Trafficking in Human Beings, with the ratification by the Czech Republic on 29 March 2017. All countries of the Council of Europe have now ratified the Convention with the exception of Russia.

The report is based on country by country reporting , which gives the latest data collected during the previous year as well as an overview of the situation regarding human trafficking in each country surveyed, recommendations of the Committee of the Parties and governments’ comments and reply.