CARE welcomes the Government’s decision to opt in to the EU Trafficking Directive. CARE was one of several key charities which campaigned for the Government to support the Directive.

Following standard procedure, the Government has applied to the European Commission for permission to opt in. Their letter was received by the Commission on 15 July 2011 and CARE anticipates a positive decision. CARE will be closely monitoring the implementation phase of the Directive’s new measures.

You can read the Government statement here 

You can download CARE’s briefing on the EU Directive below.

Background on the EU Directive on Trafficking

Last May, when the Coalition Government formed, they promised to make tackling human trafficking a priority.  However, until recently the UK was one of only two EU member states which did not opt-in to the EU Directive on Trafficking – an agreement which offers better protection to trafficked children, greater powers to prosecute traffickers and protection for trafficked people in criminal proceedings.

 

CARE has published a report which highlights why the UK Government needs to opt-in.
Click on the link: EU Directive on Human Trafficking – Why the UK should opt in to download

Article 14 of the Directive states that all trafficked children must be provided with assistance and support over the short and long-term for their physical and psycho-social recovery. At present, far from meeting this demand, trafficked children identified by the government in the UK are being lost in disturbingly large numbers. In the UK, out of 330 trafficked children identified by CEOP in 2007, it was found that 183 (55%) had gone missing.  The Directive will provide a means of confronting this problem more effectively.

At present, while the UK has the power to prosecute in cases where trafficking occurs into, within, or out of the UK, it has no power to prosecute in cases involving British citizens where the trafficking occurs outside of the UK. This is addressed by Article 10 of the Directive which has also been made less demanding with respect to prosecution in cases of trafficking cases into, within or out of the UK when the offender is a habitual resident or when the person being trafficked is a UK national.

The Directive includes a requirement for a Rapporteur or independent body to assess the progress of anti trafficking measures. This will ensure that shortfalls in the system are promptly identified and rectified.