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From 20 to 27 April 2024, Belgium participated, with 30 other countries, in the EMPACT Joint Action Days targeting human trafficking for labour exploitation purposes. The action resulted inter alia in 160 perpetrators and 334 potential victims identified and led to the arrest of 51 persons.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: joint action day, labour exploitation
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On 27 May 2024, the Council of the European Union adopted a directive that inter alia adds new forms of exploitation and considers knowingly using the service provided by a trafficking victim as a criminal offense. It also strengthens prevention measures as well as the support for and assistance to victims.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: Anti-Trafficking Directive
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On 23 April 2024, the European Parliament voted in favor of an amended Directive concerning trafficking in human beings. The new text broadens the EU’s actions against human trafficking beyond labour and sexual exploitation, and also criminalises new forms of exploitation like forced marriage, illicit adoption, and the exploitation of surrogacy at the EU level.
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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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Recent Eurostat figures show that in 2022, 10.093 victims of human trafficking were registered in the European Union. There were 8.064 suspected traffickers and 2.097 convicted traffickers. The statistics also shed light on gender distribution among traffickers and victims, as well as exploitation patterns.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: human trafficking, victims of human trafficking, gender, sexual exploitation, forced labour, Eurostat
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Today the Belgian presidency of the Council and representatives of the European Parliament reached a provisional agreement on the revision of the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive from 2011. The updated rules were called to better respond to developments in the forms and means of trafficking in human beings and to combat this crime more effectively.
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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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For the EU Anti-Trafficking Day, the European Commission is launching an awareness-raising campaign to inform citizens on the reality of this crime. The European Commission invites every citizen to help raise awareness by becoming part of the ‘End human trafficking. Break the invisible chain’ campaign.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: anti-trafficking day, awareness campaign
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As part of an investigation into acts of trafficking in human beings, 30 brothels in the northern district of Brussels have been placed under judicial seal. 25 people were subject to judicial arrest and 23 others were administratively deprived of their liberty.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: sexual exploitation, human trafficking
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On the occasion of the European Anti Trafficking Day (on 18 October), PAG-ASA organizes the second Human trafficking awareness week in Brussels! A series of events from 16 to 20 October will give you the opportunity to learn about the issue, better understand its impact on victims and gain insight into the Belgian protection procedure.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: human trafficking, awareness week
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Today, the Minister of Justice, Mr. Vincent Van Quickenborne, officially launched the campaign in Liège. On this occasion, he inaugurated the new telephone number - 078 055 800 - of the Belgian helpline for victims of human trafficking.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: blue heart campaign, victim of trafficking
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The European Crime Prevention Award (ECPA) and Best Practice Conference (BPC) will focus on the trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation and other kinds of exploitation.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: human trafficking, labour exploitation, crime prevention
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With this awareness campaign entitled "Working together in the fight against human smuggling – Help save lives!", the Police want to encourage both nautical equipment dealers and citizens to report suspicious purchases or movements on the beach to the police via 112, via the 112 app or directly via the 101.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: human smuggling, awareness campaign, nautical equipment
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Today, in the Committee on Justice of the Belgian Chamber of Representatives, Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne announced that Mr. Klaus Vanhoutte, former director of Payoke and one of the experts of the Special Committee on Trafficking in Human Beings and People Smuggling, had been recruited and appointed as national coordinator for the fight against human trafficking and smuggling.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
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The special parliamentary Commission tasked to assess the Belgian legislation and policy on trafficking in and smuggling of human beings adopted today 100 recommendations dealing with various forms of exploitation such as economic exploitation, sexual exploitation, the exploitation of begging, forced criminality, illegal adoption, and forced marriage.
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During a press conference at the maritime police in Ostend, the Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne, said that the strong approach towards human smugglers has led to a 90% drop in transit migrants to the UK.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: transit migrants, transit migration
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The UNODC Global Report on Trafficking in Persons 2022 was published today. It shows inter alia that climate change increases vulnerability to trafficking and that armed conflicts are another breeding ground for trafficking.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: human trafficking
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The Conference allowed participants to gain insight into legal provisions against labour exploitation and to examine the role of different actors in upholding the rights of foreign workers. Good practices and lessons learnt from selected countries were presented and discussed.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: forced labour, labour exploitation
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On 10 December 2019, EMN Belgium organises its annual asylum and migration policy event in which recent national and EU developments in the field of international protection, legal migration and integration and irregular migration and return will be discussed.
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Today the English translation of the latest report on Human Trafficking and Smuggling from Myria was published. The 2018 report focuses on underage victims of trafficking and smuggling of human beings.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
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On 12 December 2018, the Belgian contact point of the EMN organized its annual asylum and migration policy event in which recent national and EU developments in the field of international protection, legal migration and integration and irregular migration, human trafficking and return were discussed.
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Main theme: Integration, Reception, International Protection, Return & Readmission, Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: annual EMN policy event
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Europol launched a new report about child trafficking. It provides a comprehensive view on who the victims are and who the criminal networks are that trafficking the children in and into the EU.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups, Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: child victim of trafficking
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On the 31st of May and 1st of June, the Bulgarian Contact Point of the EMN - in the framework of the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council - organized the EMN Annual Conference. The conference was dedicated to challenges and success factors in managing migration flows.
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Main theme: International Protection, Borders & Visa, Irregular Migration, Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migration management, EMN Annual Conference
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In 2018, the European Migration Network (EMN) celebrates its 10 year anniversary. On this occasion, the EMN organized a conference on 15 May in Brussels.
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Main theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: anniversary, EMN conference
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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.