Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2012-04-19-Speech-4-105-000"
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"en.20120419.5.4-105-000"2
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"Madam President, Commissioner Malmström, honourable Members, I would like to start the debate here today by thanking you for the opportunity to take part in today’s debate on trafficking in human beings, which is a very important and pressing subject.
There can be no doubt about the fact that trafficking in human beings is a loathsome type of crime, which must be combated on all fronts. This is also a problem that we know cannot be solved at national level, but requires regional, international and also global efforts. In this connection, we need to coordinate European efforts to combat trafficking in human beings with those of our external partners. I am therefore pleased that the fight against trafficking in human beings is such a high priority for the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the International Organisation for Migration.
I also attach a great deal of importance to the fact that six United Nations agencies have jointly issued a commentary on our directive from 2011, and I am sure that this contribution will prove to be useful when the Member States come to implement the directive ahead of the deadline of 6 April 2013. In this regard, it should be noted that this is a directive containing minimum rules. The Member States are therefore free to introduce more extensive rules than those specified in the directive. The UN’s recommendations are also directed at the Member States in connection with their transposition of the directive into national law. Thus, whether or not a Member State wishes to follow the UN’s recommendations is a national matter insofar as these go beyond the requirements of the directive itself.
One of the requirements of the directive is that, in order to contribute to a coordinated and consolidated EU strategy for combating trafficking in human beings, the Member States should facilitate the tasks of an anti-trafficking coordinator. As you know, the Commission appointed the first anti-trafficking coordinator in March 2011. The coordinator’s role consists of providing general strategic guidance relating to trafficking in human beings, including in relation to third countries. I and the other members of the Council are particularly pleased that we now have an anti-trafficking coordinator, who does a very important job. The Commission will go into the coordinator’s mandate in more detail.
Another important element in the directive is the provision stating that the Member States should appoint national rapporteurs or establish equivalent mechanisms. The rapporteurs’ tasks include assessing trends in trafficking in human beings, measuring the results of anti-trafficking actions, taking responsibility for the gathering of statistics and providing reports.
In 2009, the Council decided to establish a network of national rapporteurs and equivalent mechanisms for monitoring trafficking in human beings. As also stated in the United Nations commentary, it is particularly difficult to assess the true extent of human trafficking. One purpose of this network is to improve our understanding of the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings and to gather reliable data. The network is accessible to EU institutions and agencies and to relevant international organisations, including, of course, the United Nations. The Council Presidency, in collaboration with the Commission, coordinates the activities of the network and chairs the meetings. The network meets approximately every six months, and the Council’s Secretary-General and Parliament’s Secretariat are invited to participate in the meetings. The most recent meeting took place in February of this year.
I hope that answers your questions. If not, I am sure the Commission will be able to provide further information."@en1
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