The recommendations of the Special Committee on Trafficking in Human Beings and People Smuggling were recently approved in plenary. Some recommendations underlined the need for national coordination to fight against human trafficking and smuggling in Belgium. 

On this subject, Minister Vincent Van Quickenborne announced today that a national operational coordinator for
human trafficking and smuggling was appointed within the Federal Public Service Justice. While the Special Committee was working, Mr Van Quickenborne commissioned the administration to open a vacancy for a central support function with a focus on the operationalization of the policy and the improvement of the cooperation between all Belgian stakeholders involved in the fight against human trafficking and smuggling. This procedure is completed and since 1 June 2023, Mr Klaus Vanhoutte, former director of Payoke, is appointed as national coordinator.

Minister Van Quickenborne stated: "With his experience and knowledge and with the field support he has, he will be the driving force to develop an even more solidly integrated approach to this complex problem."

For further information, please read (in Dutch) the full report of the Committee on Justice from 21 June 2023 (p.31).