In a statement on Wednesday 11 May, the European Commission said that the solidarity platform, which was launched after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine to organise the reception of Ukrainian refugees, was committed to monitoring and implementing a joint plan to fight human trafficking and support potential victims among people fleeing the war in Ukraine.
“As of 6 May, more than 5.4 million people had arrived since the war in Ukraine began, the vast majority of them being women and children. More than 13,000 unaccompanied and separated children have been registered in the EU so far”, it points out.
To this end, the Commission has presented an action plan, developed under the leadership of the EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator and with the support of EU agencies and Member States.
It contains five objectives and recommendations to Member States: “strengthening awareness raising on the risks of trafficking in human beings and setting up helplines; reinforcing prevention against trafficking in human beings; enhancing the law enforcement and judicial response to trafficking in human beings; improving the early identification, support and protection of victims of trafficking in human beings; and addressing the risks of trafficking in human beings in non-EU countries, especially Ukraine and Moldova”.
Various actions, including involving Frontex, Europol or Eurojust, are proposed at each point, such as encouraging Member States to fully implement the Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings Directive or encouraging Moldova to become more involved in the EMPACT network, the European multidisciplinary platform against criminal threats.
Link to the action plan: https://aeur.eu/f/1l7 (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)