The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) presented the 9th General Report

44% rise in identified victims between 2015 and 2018 in Europe

On 3 April 2020, the President of the Anti-Trafficking expert group (GRETA) of the Council of Europe, Davor Derenčinović, presented in Strasbourg the annual report, covering the period from 1 January to 31 December 2019.

During 2019, GRETA completed the second evaluation round of the Convention in respect of 42 of the 47 State Parties. The assessment is guided by a human rights-based and victim-centred approach; GRETA experts consistently emphasise the obligations of States to respect, fulfil and protect human rights, in accordance with the duty of due diligence.

The Report also offered an overview of the general trends of trafficking in human beings in the last few years. According to the report, based on data from the 47 State Parties to the Council of Europe, the number of victims increased from 10,598 in 2015, to 15,310 in 2018, i.e. a 44% increase. In Italy, the number of victims who received assistance increased from 1,172 in 2015, to 1,373 in 2018.

The GRETA paid particular attention to children victims of trafficking, present in almost all States Parties; the experts have highlighted significant gaps in the identification of, and assistance to, child victims.

Other shortcomings presented in the report include:

- shortage of assistance projects for male victims of trafficking;
- gaps in the application of the recovery and reflection period, access to compensation and legal aid, as well as compliance with the non-punishment provision;
- unsatisfactory punishment of traffickers;
- the confiscation of traffickers’ assets remains too rare.

In the third evaluation round of the Convention, which is started in 2019, the focus of GRETA is on access to justice and effective remedies for victims of trafficking in human beings.

The full report is available at the link below: