At its plenary session in mid-September, the European Parliament will be asked to vote on the regulation of prostitution within the EU. Although the Union’s powers in this area are limited, the resolution is the subject of debate, including within the political groups.
Submitted by Maria Noichl (S&D, German), the text calls for the alignment of EU27 legislation on sex work. For the rapporteur, this European model should be based on four pillars: - the decriminalisation of workers; - setting up programmes to help people leave prostitution and enter society; - prevention; - reducing demand for sexual services.
“It’s not a normal job”
But this last point crystallises the disagreements. Indeed, the approach recommended by Ms Noichl to reduce demand is to penalise the purchase of sexual services, as in the so-called “Nordic” model in place in Sweden in particular.
It’s a position she defends fiercely. “The last person in society is the first in prostitution. This is not a normal job - it offers no protection, no perspective and no alternative”, she stressed at a press event. She hopes that by taking a strong stance at European level, this will encourage Member States to provide more funding for programmes to help people leave prostitution.
She also believes that differences in national legislation across the EU27 facilitate human trafficking networks. “We need to stop the trade in women’s bodies on the single market”, said Heléne Fritzon (S&D, Swedish), Vice-Chair of the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights Gender Equality (FEMM).
Prohibition creates uncertainty
However, this view, which equates sex work with sexual exploitation and human trafficking, is far from unanimous. The European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance (ESWA), for example, explains that criminalising clients leads to more precarious and risky working conditions for the people involved (see EUROPE 13108/21).
In the parliamentary committee, the resolution won only a slight majority (see EUROPE 13210/24). The rapporteur expects to garner the support of a majority of the EPP, S&D and The Left, while Renew Europe is said to be divided on the issue and the Greens/EFA against. As for the ECR, it abstained from the vote in the FEMM committee because of a provision on abortion.
The text will be debated on the evening of Wednesday 13 September and put to the vote in plenary the following day.
To see the resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/8hf (Original version in French by Hélène Seynaeve)