Strasbourg, 17/11/2006 (Agence Europe) - To remedy the EU's poor track record when it comes to tackling human trafficking, MEPs are calling for the EU to draw up a new action plan covering a whole range of policies (immigration, employment, social affairs, foreign affairs and the Neighbourhood Policy).
Adopting a report by Slovakian MEP Edit Bauer (EPP-ED) in plenary on 16 November by a wide majority, the European Parliament called for the introduction of a short-term residence permit for victims of human trafficking, including a recovery period of no less than 30 days and access to free legal aid. MEPs want the European Commission to set up a multilingual hotline with the same telephone number across the EU to provide initial assistance. MEPs do not want victims of human trafficking to be deported to their countries of origin if they are liable to be in danger there. As far as labour exploitation is concerned, the MEPs recommend extremely severe penalties to be imposed on companies employing cheap labour supplied through human trafficking. MEPs ask the European Commission to publish a study, no later than 2007, on the causal correlation between legislation on prostitution and trafficking for sexual exploitation. In addition, Member States should encourage codes of conduct to be implemented by the tourist industry and internet providers to fight human trafficking for sexual exploitation. Finally, as far as child trafficking is concerned, the EP wants Member States to respect the UN definition of a child as anyone under the age of 18.
During the debate, Irish MEP Simon Coveney (EPP-ED) explained that 121 countries around the world have ratified a convention against organised crime and an additional protocol against human trafficking, and it was simply unacceptable that seven EU Member States have still not ratified the convention (see EUROPE 9226). Maria Carlshamre (ALDE, Sweden) said that 'more than 90% of the girls in the sex industry in Germany, Austria and the Netherlands, where prostitution is legal, are from abroad', despite the fact that the trafficking of women and children as sex slaves is a crime! Sections of Edit Bauer's report criticising legalised prostitution were scrapped to ensure Germany and the Netherlands did not vote against it. EU Justice and Home Affairs Commissioner Franco Frattini urged Member States to speed up application of the 2004 directive laying down criteria for the granting of residence permits to victims of human trafficking and the sex trade from outside the EU. Twelve EU Member States have not yet notified transposition of the directive despite the fact the deadline for transposition was 6 August 2006. Frattini said this was 'very disappointing', and infringement proceedings would be launched against the twelve Member States in question. (bc)