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 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.

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

This EMN Inform summarizes the main findings of the EMN study "The Illegal Employment of Third-Country Nationals in the EU".

This publication is based on social media research conducted by a small UNHCR team. Between March and December 2016, they issued weekly monitoring reports which have now been compiled into this synopsis.

The Africa-Frontex Intelligence Community (AFIC) Joint Report 2016 analyses the irregular migratory movements affecting AFIC countries and EU Member States, cross-border criminality and provides an overview of the main regional security threats affecting the countries in the community. The report also presents a picture of the smuggling networks in Africa.

In its annual report, Myria examines the evolution and the results of the fight against smuggling and trafficking in human beings and provides recommendations. The 2016 report focuses in particular on the exploitation of begging.

This EMN Inform provides an overview of the use of social media in migrant smuggling.

Among other findings, the report estimates that the annual turnover of migrant smuggling was worth an estimated USD 5 to 6 billion in 2015, representing one of the main profit-generating activities for organised criminals in Europe.

This new study by ICMPD, "Targeting Vulnerabilities", examines the impact of the Syrian war on trafficking in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.