In April 2021, the Commission presented the EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025). The evaluation and possible review of the Anti-Trafficking Directive to make it fit for purpose was one of the key actions of the Strategy. The Commission therefore presented the proposal in December 2022 to revise the Directive to make it more efficient for the current times.

Today, the European Parliament and the Council reached a political agreement on stronger rules to reinforce the fight against trafficking in human beings, including the following measures:

• EU countries will be required to include the exploitation of surrogacy, of forced marriage, and of illegal adoption as forms of exploitation explicitly covered by the definition of trafficking in human beings in their national law;
   
• Trafficking committed through the use of information and communication technologies, including internet and social media, will be considered as an aggravating circumstance when it relates to sexual exploitation, which means that it can lead to higher penalties;
   
• EU countries will be required to establish Formal Referral Mechanisms, enhancing early identification and assistance of victims, as well as single national focal points, which will form the basis of a European Referral Mechanism;
   
• The knowing use of services provided by trafficking victims will become a criminal offence, with the aim of reducing the demand that fosters trafficking;
   
• National Anti-Trafficking Coordinators will be established, and Member States will also have the possibility to designate independent bodies. The adoption and regular updates of National Action Plans will also become mandatory;
   
• EU-wide data collection on trafficking in human beings based on specific indicators will become mandatory and will be published annually by Eurostat.

Today’s provisional agreement will be submitted to Member State’s representatives in the Council (Coreper) for confirmation. It will also have to be formally adopted by both institutions.

For further information, please read the press release from the Council of the European Union. The EU Commission Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs also published a news article in this matter.