29/10/2007 (Agence Europe) - The Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking in Human Beings' will come into force on 1 February 2008, following ratification by Cyprus, the tenth country to ratify it. The other countries that have ratified the Convention are Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Denmark, Georgia, Moldova, Romania and Slovakia. The main features of the new Convention include: a) compulsory assistance measures and a recovery and reflection period of at least 30 days for the victims of trafficking; b) the possibility to issue residence permits to victims not only on the basis of cooperation with the law enforcement agencies but also on humanitarian grounds; c) the possibility to criminalise 'the clients'; d) a non-punishment clause for the victims of trafficking; and e) a strengthened international cooperation system and an independent monitoring mechanism, GRETA, which will monitor the proper implementation of the convention by the parties. (B.C.)