Human trafficking is a devastating crime that deprives its victims of their dignity, freedom, and fundamental rights. While women and girls make up the majority of the victims, largely exploited for sexual purposes, the number of male victims has more than doubled since 2013.

Human trafficking is also deeply entwined with other organised crimes, such as migrant smuggling, drug trafficking, cybercrime and financial fraud. To effectively combat these complex networks, enhanced judicial cooperation and coordination between national authorities is crucial to enable them to share intelligence, prosecute perpetrators, and ultimately bring justice to the victims.

In his welcome remarks, Eurojust President Mr Michael Schmid said, Human trafficking is on the rise in Europe, with more than 10,700 victims registered last year alone – the highest number in over a decade. With a new EU Anti-Trafficking Strategy on the horizon, Eurojust will continue to lead cross-border efforts to bring traffickers to justice and protect the most vulnerable.

The EU Anti-trafficking policy must be able to respond to the evolving geopolitical and threat landscape, in particular to the emerging forms of exploitation and the links with other crime areas and the challenges posed by new technologies, said Ms Schmitt. It is of critical importance that all these new developments are taken into account in criminal judicial proceedings and that everything is done to prosecute and convict those behind this terrible crime. This also implies strong judicial and law enforcement cooperation.

This year’s Focus Group meeting featured various presentation and discussion sessions, including updates on developments in the field of THB, awareness raising on THB for the purpose of organ removal, the role of AI in human trafficking, and challenges and best practices in cross-border investigations and judicial cooperation on cases of trafficking involving child victims. The event gathered practitioners working on THB cases, representatives from the European Commission, Europol, as well as Eurojust National Members and Liaison Prosecutors.

Combatting human trafficking requires a united approach, said Ms Buruiana. I'm happy to see the THB judicial community growing stronger each year, and these regular meetings are crucial to this effort. By sharing best practices and coordinating our response through Eurojust's Focus Group, we're strengthening our collective fight against this devastating crime.

As the fight against human trafficking continues, it is essential to address the emerging trends and complexities of this crime, including the exploitation of vulnerable individuals for financial and welfare benefit fraud. The recent cases supported by Eurojust, presented during this meeting, highlight the need for a more nuanced understanding of trafficking and its various forms, as well as the importance of ensuring that victims are properly identified and protected under legal frameworks. By shedding light on under-recognised forms of exploitation, Eurojust and its partners can work towards a more effective and victim-centred approach to combating human trafficking, one that prioritises the rights and dignity of those affected.