08/02/2008 (Agence Europe) - The Council of Europe Convention on Human Trafficking came into effect on 1 February 2008. Hitherto it has been ratified by 14 countries: Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Malta (30/01/08), Moldova, Norway, Romania and Slovakia. The convention is also open to non-European states and to the European Union. Every year, more than 600,000 people are sold in Europe by international criminals. Over 80% of the victims are girls and women, and 70% end up in the sex industry. Human trafficking is the world's third most lucrative criminal activity, after the arms and drugs trades. (B.C.)