The Policy Paper supports the effective transposition and implementation of the revised EU Anti-Trafficking Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1712), in particular the requirement for EU Member States to establish National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs) and appoint national focal points. It provides an EU-wide overview of the structure and functioning of NRMs and cross-border referral arrangements, based on a comparative analysis across all 27 Member States. It identifies key developments, remaining challenges and areas for further action.

Today the Belgian presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the revision of the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive from 2011. The updated rules were called to better respond to developments in the forms and means of trafficking in human beings and to combat this crime more effectively.