Ratification of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings
Reply to Written question
| Doc. 11562
| 10 April 2008
- Author(s):
- Committee of Ministers
- Origin
- Adopted
by the Committee of Ministers on 6 February 2008, at the 1017th
meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies.
- Reply to Written question
- : Written question no. 538 (Doc. 11445)
- Thesaurus
1. The Committee of
Ministers thanks Mrs de Pourbaix–Lundin for her question which reflects
her strong interest in action against trafficking in human beings
and the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
in Human Beings aimed at fighting this terrible phenomenon and serious
violation of human rights. It thanks the Parliamentary Assembly
for its active contribution to the preparatory work of this convention
and for its commitment in the promotion of the convention’s ratification
by all the Council of Europe member states and non-member states.
2. The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking
in Human Beings, the first European treaty in this field, is a comprehensive
treaty focusing mainly on the protection of victims of trafficking
and the safeguard of their rights. It also aims to prevent trafficking
and to prosecute traffickers. In addition, the convention provides
that an effective and independent monitoring mechanism be set up,
which will be capable of controlling the implementation of the obligations
contained in the convention.
3. During the Warsaw Summit, the heads of state and government
firmly condemned trafficking in human beings as an offence to the
dignity and integrity of the human being. They welcomed the opening
for signature of the convention and they called for its widest possible
ratification and swift entry into force.
4. In line with these commitments, in 2006 the Committee of Ministers
launched the Council of Europe Campaign to Combat Trafficking in
Human Beings under the slogan “Human Being – Not for Sale”. The campaign
had two main aims. The first was to raise awareness of the problem
of trafficking in human beings, as well as possible solutions to
it, among governments, parliamentarians, local and regional authorities,
NGOs and civil society. It also strived to instigate measures to
protect the human rights of victims and prosecute the traffickers
and their accomplices. The second aim was to promote the widest
possible signature and ratification of the convention among member
states and non-member states, in order that it may enter into force
as soon as possible. To this end, targeted seminars and meetings
of experts have taken place in many member states. These meetings
provided the stakeholders concerned with the necessary technical
assistance for drawing up or revising legislation in this area and
assisted them to adopt the necessary measures for combating this scourge.
5. On 24 October 2007, the convention received its 10th ratification
triggering the process by which it entered into force on 1 February
2008.
Note
6. The fight against trafficking calls for a multidisciplinary
approach including prevention, protection of the rights of victims
and prosecution of the traffickers as well as for joint action,
as no country alone can defeat this new form of slavery. With this
new Council of Europe convention, we have an innovative tool with
the potential to make a significant contribution to prevent and
combat trafficking all over Europe and beyond.
7. The Council of Europe Campaign to Combat Trafficking in Human
Beings ended officially when the convention entered into force on
1 February 2008. However, in accordance with the Organisation’s
priorities set by the heads of state and government of the member
states in the Action Plan adopted during the 3rd Summit, the Committee
of Ministers will continue resolutely to promote the widest possible
ratification of the convention among member and non-member states.
The Council of Europe will provide states with legal and technical
assistance for drawing up or revising national legislation and policies
in conformity with the measures contained in the convention.
8. In this connection, a conference was held on 8 and 9 November
2007. It aimed to contribute to the setting up of the independent
human rights monitoring mechanism of the Convention – the Group
of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA),
responsible for monitoring the implementation of the convention in
the countries that have ratified it, as well as of the other pillar
of the monitoring system – the Committee of the Parties. The Committee
of Ministers welcomes the work done in this context and its contribution
to the concrete implementation of the provisions of the Council
of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
