03/12/2007 (Agence Europe) - MEPs from the committee on women's rights have called upon the Member States to ratify as broadly as possible the Convention of the Council of Europe on the fight against trafficking in human beings. This request was reaffirmed in Brussels on 20 November, at a joint meeting of the committee with the rapporteur of the Council of Europe on equal opportunities, Ruth-Gaby Vermot Mangold. Ten States, including just six Member States of the EU, have already ratified this Convention, which will enter into force on 1 February 2008. The Austrian member Christa Prets (PES), who wrote a report on the prevention of trafficking in women and children vulnerable to sexual exploitation, called for the EU to sign this Convention. She also spoke out against the delay in the implementation of actions planned as part of the action plan of the Council of 9 December 2005 on the fight against trafficking in human beings. (B.C)