The Head of the Delegation of the European Union/EU Special Representative, Ambassador Peter Sorensen, underlined the EU’s commitment to tackling trafficking in human beings on 18th October, the 7th EU Anti Trafficking Day.

Ambassador Sorensen said:

“Trafficking in human beings remains one of the greatest challenges to upholding fundamental human rights. It is a modern slavery. We still witness, in Europe, the increase of identified and presumed victims of trafficking. Children remain the most vulnerable group and we all share the responsibility to protect them and ensure their safe childhood.

“The EU continues to place addressing trafficking in human beings as a priority in our cooperation with Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bosnia and Herzegovina has instruments for anti-trafficking in place, these must be meaningfully implemented. The EU has supported victims through our financial assistance and more widely has supported the process of amending relevant criminal legislation at all levels. While there has been significant progress in the Republic of Srpska and Brcko District including by introducing provisions on trafficking in human beings, the same remains to be done at the state and Federation level. We are currently looking at the options for providing further financial assistance in this crucial area.

“Finally we underline our support for a victim-oriented approach; those who have been victims of trafficking must be helped to reintegrate into society. The perpetrators and users, who profit from this human exploitation, must end up behind bars.”

Notes to Editors

• The EU has adopted in an expedited manner the EU Anti Trafficking Directive 2011/36/EU which lays obligations on the EU Member States and accession countries, to transpose their provisions into their national legislation. This is to ensure that criminals end behind bars, victims are protected, assisted and supported, and action is taken to prevent prevent trafficking and reduce demand. The Directive recognises the gender dimension of trafficking and that men and women are trafficked for different purposes. http://goo.gl/I21xJb
• The EU has set a common policy framework by adopting the EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016. http://goo.gl/NvkBws
• It is monitored by the EU Anti Trafficking Coordinator. http://goo.gl/qCbfOP 
• The EU also stresses the role of the civil society as equal partners in our efforts. The focus on victims continues by publishing the overview of rights of victims, a compilation of rights under EU law in a user friendly language. http://goo.gl/za5pMY