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.

Based on more than 100 interviews with service providers, policymakers and former victims of trafficking, the study analyses and compares the integration measures dedicated to victims of trafficking in Belgium, France, Hungary, Italy and the United Kingdom.

This document gives victims and practitioners an overview of rights based on EU legislation.

Peter H. van der Laan, Monika Smit, Inge Busschers and Pauline Aarten have published their study for the Campbell Collaboration. It focuses on cross-border trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation and prostitution.

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.