The report provides an in‑depth overview of Belgium’s status for smuggling victims, highlighting its objectives, legal framework, and practical implementation. It examines how the status is applied, who benefits from it, and the operational challenges encountered. The publication also identifies gaps in data collection and coordination between agencies. Finally, it offers evidence‑based recommendations to strengthen victim protection and improve the overall effectiveness of the system.

The report compiles available figures for the period 2015–2024 and examines how data are recorded, shared and used. It provides a clearer statistical basis for understanding the situation of minors at risk of trafficking and aggravated forms of smuggling, while identifying structural gaps in current data systems.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report “Victims: Seeing Them and Listening to Them” on 8 December 2025. The report draws attention to the psychological vulnerabilities of victims of human trafficking and calls, inter alia, for strengthened training and specialisation of professionals on the specific psychological vulnerabilities and needs of these victims.

This ad hoc query examines the extension of alerts in the Schengen Information System (SIS) under Article 3 of Regulation 2018/1860 for persons who don’t leave the territory and whose alert is approaching its expiration date.

This EMN study examines how 25 countries address the international dimension of human trafficking, encompassing prevention, law enforcement, victim support, and international partnerships. It presents national approaches, good practices and persistent challenges, both within EMN countries and in cooperation with third countries. Readers will find examples of institutional cooperation, capacity-building efforts, and initiatives targeting specific regions or groups. The study also highlights how recent EU policy developments are shaping national anti-trafficking strategies.

This research paper introduces the "IRMIGRIGHT", the first bespoke database of social and labour rights of irregularly staying migrants in twenty-eight European countries. A number of findings emerge from the data analysis, including the fact that, on average, irregularly staying migrants have significantly weaker social rights than labour rights.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Latin American Sex Work: A Risky Carousel" on 18 December 2024. Myria draws attention to the phenomenon of Latin American sex work and calls for adapting the fight against trafficking to the new realities linked to the digital world.

This ad hoc query maps the schemes in place across EMN Member and Observer Countries to issue residence permits for so-called “digital nomads”, or persons who work remotely for an employer registered outside of their country of residence. Emphasis is placed on the issue of the use of forged documents in the applications for such permits.

This manual, aimed at both workplace inspection staff and trainers, intends to empower them to enforce the protective standards in EU law that safeguard the rights of third-country workers, including seasonal workers, migrant workers with temporary permits and migrants in an irregular situation. 

This publication, entitled "Tackling threat, addressing challenges - Europol's response to migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings in 2023 and onwards", looks into the latest developments and main threats in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings (THB) based on the most recent operations supported by Europol. It highlights the main challenges presented by the current criminal landscape and aims to help law enforcement step up the fight against criminal networks.

Under Council Directive 2004/81/EC, EU Member States have the option to grant residence permits to third-country nationals who have been the subject of an action to facilitate illegal immigration, such as smuggling. This ad hoc query seeks to map which Member States have implemented this possibility, and to what extent this residence procedure is used in practice.

The general report 2023 of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) includes a stocktaking of the third evaluation round of the Convention, which focused on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. GRETA analyses trends emerging from its country reports, drawing attention to gaps in the implementation of the Convention, as well as promising practices.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "A chain of responsibilities" on 19 December 2023.

In response to the growing awareness of the barriers for irregularly staying adult migrants to access higher education, vocational training and employment, the Netherlands sought to map out existing legislation and practices in other EMN Member countries to facilitate this access.

In the Czech Republic, a marriage can, under the current legislation, only take place if both parties have legal residence on the territory. By launching this ad hoc query, the Czech National Contact Point (NCP) to the European Migration Network (EMN) wanted to know more about the existing practices in other Member Countries.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Trapped by debt" on 7 December 2022.

Unaccompanied minors who have little or no perspective of receiving a residence permit within EU Member States, may have co-existing problems such as mental health issues or substance addiction. This ad hoc query examines how EU Member States deal with this specific group and how they could improve the reception and supervision of these young persons.

In 2022, Belgium was subject to the third evaluation round of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. This report analyses in detail how the Belgian authorities ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims of trafficking in human beings.

Trafficking in human beings is a crime against the victim’s fundamental rights. It can take several forms, such as sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery and servitude-related practices, as well as the removal of organs. This practice is prohibited under numerous EU and international instruments. Yet, persistent demand for sexual services and for low-wage workers employed in manual jobs continues to provide opportunities for traffickers to exploit human beings.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Behind Closed Doors" on 15 December 2020.

As independent National Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings for Belgium, for over 20 years Myria has carried out a yearly independent policy evaluation. In its latest report on Human Trafficking and Smuggling Myria focuses on underage victims of trafficking and smuggling of human beings.

This EMN study aims at analysing the impact of EU rules on return policies and practices of Member States (including Belgium), and hence on the effectiveness of return decisions issued across the EU.

The GRETA report, covering the period from 1 January until 31 December 2018, stresses that labour exploitation is on the rise across Europe. Also in Belgium, labour exploitation appears as a predominant form of trafficking.

This EMN Policy Brief examines trends in applications for international protection and irregular movements of third-country national migrants across the EU and Norway. It focuses on the period 2012 - 2016 and – where data is available - up to August 2017. This is an update of the Policy Brief published in December 2015.

As independent National Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings for Belgium, for over 20 years Myria has carried out a yearly independent policy evaluation. In its latest report on Human Trafficking and Smuggling Myria focuses on the role of the internet and social media in trafficking and smuggling, but also on combating trafficking and smuggling human beings.