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.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, warns that externalised asylum and migration policies must be carefully designed to avoid serious human rights risks. His report highlights how transferring asylum, return, and border control functions to other countries can expose migrants to torture, arbitrary detention, and collective expulsions. Particular risks arise in the external processing of asylum claims, return procedures including “return hubs,” and outsourcing of border control. The Commissioner calls on states to adopt precautionary approaches, safeguard vulnerable people, and ensure transparency and accountability.

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.

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.

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.

In this report (which is available in Dutch and French) Myria analyses the broader migration context. It argues against pushbacks and for more legal pathways for people in need of protection.

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 paper, which is entitled 'The EU’s New Migration Partnership with Mali: Shifting towards a Risky Security-Migration-Development Nexus', seeks to understand why and how the EU has been redefining its migration strategy regarding Mali.

This publication takes stock of recent EU developments in the area of asylum, borders and external cooperation on migration.

This new policy brief offers a critical analysis of the reignited trend of externalised EU migration policies that appear to be moving towards a model of offshore processing, as used by Australia. By looking at the proposed CEAS reform, it lays out the fundamental concerns connected with the use of such a model and notes the flaws in the economic and “migration management” justifications for offshoring.

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.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) has been producing world migration reports since 2000. This year’s edition presents key data and information on migration as well as thematic chapters on highly topical migration issues.

The International Migration Report 2017 reviews the latest migration trends, assesses the demographic contribution of migration, examines the status of ratification of relevant conventions and summarizes recent developments on migration at the United Nations. 

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 study by the Ethical Journalism Network and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) aims to understand the prevailing media narratives on migration in different national contexts. It looks at their strengths and shortcomings, and provides some insight into the interplay between editorial lines, political narratives, journalistic approaches and public discourse.

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.