This policy brief, produced by the Migration Policy Centre, focuses on immigration to Europe via the Mediterranean and related issues such as smuggling, sea routes, Mare Nostrum and risks encountered by migrants. It also provides statistics and data.

The Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism has published its 2010 annual report on trafficking/smuggling of human beings

Recent Eurostat figures show that in 2022, 10.093 victims of human trafficking were registered in the European Union. There were 8.064 suspected traffickers and 2.097 convicted traffickers. The statistics also shed light on gender distribution among traffickers and victims, as well as exploitation patterns.

As part of an investigation into acts of trafficking in human beings, 30 brothels in the northern district of Brussels have been placed under judicial seal. 25 people were subject to judicial arrest and 23 others were administratively deprived of their liberty.

On the occasion of the European Anti Trafficking Day (on 18 October), PAG-ASA organizes the second Human trafficking awareness week in Brussels! A series of events from 16 to 20 October will give you the opportunity to learn about the issue, better understand its impact on victims and gain insight into the Belgian protection procedure.

In her 2023 State of the Union Address, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, focused inter alia on migration issues. She underlined that an agreement on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum has never been so close.

The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration tasked the Immigration Office to implement a prevention campaign to make people in Nigeria aware of the dangers of human trafficking, exploitation and the risks associated with irregular migration. 

The European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA) and Best Practice Conference (BPC) will focus on the trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation and other kinds of exploitation.

The UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022 was published today. It shows inter alia that climate change increases vulnerability to trafficking and that armed conflicts are another breeding ground for trafficking.

The European Council held a special meeting with a view to adopting different orientations to address the tragic situation in the Mediterranean.