Publication date: 25 July 2024
This publication, entitled "Tackling threat, addressing challenges - Europol's response to migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings in 2023 and onwards", looks into the latest developments and main threats in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings (THB) based on the most recent operations supported by Europol. It highlights the main challenges presented by the current criminal landscape and aims to help law enforcement step up the fight against criminal networks.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: Europol, migrant smuggling, cross-border crime, violence, digital technology
Publication date: 02 May 2024
Under Council Directive 2004/81/EC, EU Member States have the option to grant residence permits to third-country nationals who have been the subject of an action to facilitate illegal immigration, such as smuggling. This ad hoc query seeks to map which Member States have implemented this possibility, and to what extent this residence procedure is used in practice.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: residence permit, migrant smuggling, victim
Publication date: 07 June 2016
Among other findings, the report estimates that the annual turnover of migrant smuggling was worth an estimated USD 5 to 6 billion in 2015, representing one of the main profit-generating activities for organised criminals in Europe.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: migrant smuggling, criminal network, foreign terrorist fighter
Publication date:
Authorities in Belgium have reported a notable increase in migrant smuggling attempts along the country’s North Sea coast in recent weeks, prompting enhanced law enforcement action and efforts to strengthen international cooperation. Federal and local police forces have stepped up patrols and arrests as part of a broader response to the phenomenon, while Belgium and the United Kingdom are exploring closer collaboration to address the cross-border dimension.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: Belgian coast, migrant smuggling, police operation, international cooperation
Publication date:
On 24 June 2025, EMN Belgium participated in the Polish Presidency Conference on countering irregular migration. The discussions examined this phenomenon from three perspectives: strengthening the EU’s external borders to prevent irregular entries, combating migrant smuggling to dismantle criminal networks, and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and providing safe and legal alternatives.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa, Irregular Migration, Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: external border, border control, migrant smuggling, criminal network, root causes, legal pathway
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On 13 May 2025, Belgian authorities arrested six individuals in West Flanders as part of a coordinated international operation targeting an organised migrant smuggling network suspected of facilitating the irregular entry of up to 300 non-EU nationals into the European Union. In total, fifteen suspects were apprehended in Belgium, Germany and Poland, in a series of actions supported by Europol and Eurojust and involving close cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities in the participating countries.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migrant smuggling, smuggling network, joint action day, Europol, Eurojust
Publication date:
During the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 13 December 2024, Member States agreed on a proposal aimed at bringing their criminal law closer together on issues such as the definition and sanctioning of migrant smuggling. The text will now be used by the Council in “trilogue” negotiations with the European Parliament.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migrant smuggling, criminal offence, penalty, humanitarian clause
Publication date:
The EU launched a call for proposals under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund to prevent irregular migration through awareness-raising and information campaigns on the risks of irregular migration in selected third countries and within Europe. The available call budget is EUR 10 000 000.
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Main theme: Irregular Migration
Keywords: awareness-raising, information campaign, migrant smuggling
Publication date:
Before 8 October 2024, public bodies or a public or non-public implementing agency or body of a Member State can apply for funding and submit their proposal to support the implementation of the Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling and its call to action to strengthen international cooperation on preventing and responding to migrant smuggling.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: call for proposals, migrant smuggling, global alliance to counter migrant smuggling
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During this conference, representatives from the European Commission, EMN NCPs and universities, shared practices and critical reflections on information campaigns, new tools and innovative approaches as well as benefits and challenges in the current context. Particular attention was paid to evaluating the impact of information campaigns.
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Main theme: Migration
Keywords: information campaign, prevention campaign, irregular migration, migrant smuggling
Publication date:
A large-scale operation involving law enforcement and judicial authorities from Belgium, France and Germany, coordinated by Europol and Eurojust, led to the dismantling of one of the most active networks involved in the smuggling of migrants across the English Channel in small boats.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migrant smuggling, English channel, Europol, Eurojust, joint action day
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At a conference today, the European Commission proposed new legislation to prevent and fight migrant smuggling and also launched a call to action for a Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migrant smuggling, criminal network, Europol
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This hybrid annual conference will debate the latest developments and challenges in the EU’s internal and external border management. It will analyse the latest proposals and reforms on the functioning and operation of EU border management systems, including Schengen, as well as Frontex’ role and responsibilities. A particular focus will be given to the ongoing situation at the EU’s eastern border.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: border management, EU border agency, Schengen, Frontex, migrant smuggling
Publication date:
Today the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, traveled to Tunisia, showing the importance of the migration partnership between Tunisia and the EU and the willingness for such partnership to be deepened in cooperation with the EU Member States.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: partnership, migrant smuggling, return, irregular migration, legal migration
Publication date:
The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor is on a mission to Vietnam to strengthen cooperation with that country regarding the prevention of irregular migration and return.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: Vietnam, irregular migration, migrant smuggling
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Two United Nations agencies are joining forces to combat migrant smuggling. They organized an event centering on a Joint Platform on Countering Migrant Smuggling.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migrant smuggling
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Today, key Belgian stakeholders in the fight against migrant smuggling discussed inter alia the use of social media in migrant smuggling at a round-table organized by the Belgian Contact Point of the EMN.