1.

To establish common priorities to enable better targeted EU level action. To improve the effectiveness of EU action.

(a)

Member States to share lists of priority origin and transit countries and most frequently encountered routes.

(b)

EU funding (i.e. Agis and other appropriate existing funding programmes) to be prioritised against bids which match areas highlighted by Action Plan.

(c)

Prevention and combating trafficking to be a thematic priority for the future EU financial arrangements/programmes for JHA.

These arrangements/programmes should include flexible funding arrangements, which allow financial support to be made available to support Member States' operationally, and to strengthen regional forms of police cooperation.

In this context consideration should be given to funding projects concerning operational action which only one Member State takes forward. In this context, consideration should also be given to ways in which sustainable financing may be made available to non governmental support and reintegration services.

2.

To ensure an ongoing debate on the subject, including the human rights issues.

(a)

A political debate on the EU anti-trafficking policy (…) should be held, and compliance of the latter policy with human rights standards and the need for further action be assessed.

3.

To ensure common standards across the EU.

(a)

Council to adopt the proposal for a Decision on the conclusion, on behalf of the EC, of the UN Protocol to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, particularly women and children of the UN Trafficking Protocol.

(b)

To develop proposals for coordination and cooperation mechanisms needed at EU level.

(c)

Member States to consider as a priority signature and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on trafficking in human beings.

1.

To improve knowledge on the scale and nature of trafficking in human beings (including links to other forms of criminality) effecting the EU, to enable the EU to target efforts better.

(a)

To develop common guidelines for the collection of data including comparable indicators. To take account of differences between types of trafficking and categories of victims. Such work should also take account of retrafficked victims.

(b)

To review current EU wide work on estimating the scale of the problem with the aim to target all forms of trafficking.

(c)

To develop a common research template for Member States to use to increase research available on specific areas, starting with child trafficking.

(d)

To convene a meeting of appropriate representatives from national coordination structures (e.g. national rapporteurs where they exist), including law enforcement and immigration experts, depending on national arrangements. To consider the scale of and issues relevant to trafficking within the EU in addition to trafficking from outside the EU

1.

To address the root causes of trafficking.

(a)

Member States and EU institutions to support anti-trafficking initiatives as well as broader measures addressing root causes, especially poverty, insecurity and exclusion and gender inequalities.

(b)

Development cooperation also to include gender specific prevention strategies and strategies aimed at strengthening the economic, legal and political position of both women and children.

2.

To prevent trafficking in countries of origin, transit and destination by raising awareness of the dangers involved and publicising crime prevention and criminal justice in the EU, including successful prosecutions, to deter traffickers (…).

(a)

To develop EU campaign materials in cooperation with the NGO community. Campaign to

Campaigns to be evaluated for effectiveness.

(b)

To create a network of media contacts on trafficking to publicise successes within and outside the EU.

3.

To enable identification of victims early to prevent exploitation.

(a)

To hold a seminar firstly with the airline industry.

To involve relevant enforcement agencies and ILOs. To explore models of regional/national cooperation and joint working that have been effective to set the scene for further events at national/regional level, to be organised by Member States

(b)

Complete development of common Visa Information System as soon as possible.

(c)

To hold a seminar with immigration services, bodies responsible for social services and other relevant authorities to share best practice regarding the identification of children at risk, in particular unaccompanied minors.

(d)

Consular staff and ILOs of Member States in countries of origin to consider human trafficking in local consular discussion working groups and ILO meetings, in order to exchange information and improve recognition of applications which could involve human trafficking.

(e)

Following consideration and agreement in the FRONTEX Management Board, trafficking to be mainstreamed into the work of FRONTEX including:

FRONTEX's work will take into account the particular circumstances of the most vulnerable victims, in particular children and women.

(f)

Implement the use of biometric identifiers in issuing and verifying EU residence permits and visas.

1.

To develop the expertise on reducing demand for labour exploitation

(a)

To establish an expert group to consider relevant issues concerning employment regulations and their impact on trafficking. This group should consider the role of private employment services and consider the development of appropriate materials to raise awareness with potential employers of trafficked victims.

2.

To reduce the demand for trafficked persons in destination countries.

(a)

Member States to report any current best practice on community engagement and community policing strategies adopted to deter trafficking that may occur informally within communities, for example trafficking for domestic service. This process should cover strategies used for all forms of trafficking for whatever purpose (sexual exploitation and more widely) and including specific groups of victims, i.e. women and children.

1.

To improve the strategic and tactical intelligence picture on trafficking in human beings and enable an intelligence led approach.

(a)

Member States to agree to share information via I/24/7 and the trafficking and smuggling messaging service system to Interpol, to share pertinent information and intelligence with Europol, and Europol to strengthen links with Interpol.

(b)

Make use of the Organised Crime Threat Assessment (OCTA) to assist with an EU wide assessment and prioritisation of action.

(c)

EU to strengthen formal links to International Organisations to tap into data on routes, sources and methods.

(d)

Member States to put intelligence into the concerned Analytical Work File at Europol.

(e)

Europol and FRONTEX to develop complementary cooperation, especially with regard to their analytical activities concerning the phenomenon.

2.

To improve the ability of Member States to investigate trafficking effectively

(a)

CEPOL to take the lead in developing AGIS funded resources including recent guideline manuals and other resources such as the Interpol manual, into a core curriculum for senior police officers — to be cascaded as appropriate. CEPOL to then regularly organise specific training for law enforcement personnel on trafficking. Training should consider trafficking within the context of migrant smuggling also.

3.

To improve the operational cooperation between Member States on trafficking.

(a)

Member States to consider ways in which information concerning law enforcement officers in Member States who are involved closely in human trafficking work who have specialist language skills (e.g. specialist oriental or African languages) can be disseminated more widely (this would mean that where bi or multi-lateral joint investigation teams are being put together by different Member States they can consider including such officers in teams as appropriate and in sofar as national operational demands on such officers permit).

(b)

PCTF and Europol to report annually on how trafficking has been taken forward within their work programmes.

(c)

PCTF to monitor operational cooperation between Member States on trafficking and where appropriate make recommendations for its improvement.

(d)

Develop a manual of contacts for law enforcement agencies across EU to cover out of hours contacts and background on procedures in place in each Member State.

4.

To enable more effective cooperation in investigations and prosecutions against trafficking.

(a)

Member States to make maximum use of Eurojust and its coordinating role and the European Judicial Network.

(b)

The creation of a specialist network of practitioners with specialist expertise in prosecuting trafficking cases, including those dealing with children. This network would consider developing training for prosecutors in due course.

(c)

To develop greater awareness of the particular issues raised in trafficking cases, including those involving children, with the judiciary in Member States.

(d)

As part of the evaluation of the Council Framework Decision on trafficking in human beings, to review the legal frameworks in place across Member States to address trafficking, in particular child trafficking

(e)

To conduct an inventory of legislation which complements that in place to criminalise trafficking, for example legislation on the status of victims, legislation criminalising intermediaries, i.e. gangmasters, proceeds of crime legislation.

1.

To ensure frontline staff have the right tools and expertise to identify victims of trafficking and offer them appropriate protection and support bearing in mind the special needs of children.

(a)

To organise a seminar with Member States and NGOs which provide victims with services to take stock of best practice in the identification of victims and to consider drawing up a broad list of criteria with respect to best practice in this area.

2.

To build and strengthen effective links between organisations providing support and reintegration services and Member States.

(a)

To hold a conference to foster existing links and build a more solid network of NGOs and International Organisations providing support and reintegration services

(b)

Develop an EU wide directory of services to map available support schemes.

(c)

EU to consider further developing the OSCE manual (the National Referral Mechanism Manual) and to propose recommendations and amendments to the Presidency and Commission with a view to presenting a coherent set of amendments from the perspective of the EU at a future revision of that manual or as necessary a standalone EU document.

(d)

To develop a model protocol between Member States and NGOs to include minimum levels of support, liaison points in key services and standards of working practices. The model protocol should build on existing good practice and have the input of NGOs where appropriate.

1.

To share knowledge and experience about available reintegration schemes in source countries and risk assessment processes carried out before return.

(a)

Map available schemes and processes and scope possibilities for coordinating post-return assistance in third countries, including an assessment of risk in countries of return. The process should seek to identify and make more widely available best practice in Member States and may be followed up by a seminar, as necessary and if appropriate, concerning this best practice.

1.

To enhance anti-trafficking action in relations with third countries.

(a)

Country and Regional Strategy Papers and Indicative Programmes to strengthen strategies to address factors facilitating trafficking, but in particular child trafficking.

EU to engage in dialogue with countries of origin, including through such regional consultative processes as ASEM and the Bali Process as well as through other appropriate multilateral processes concerning other regions (for example with respect to Latin America and the Caribbean).

Third country agreements (e.g. the EU-Russia action plan) should promote cooperation in EU, regional and international law enforcement operations as well as encourage capacity building on trafficking.

(b)

The upcoming strategy for JHA EU External Relations should reflect trafficking as a priority.

(c)

To put emphasis on multilateral activities on counter-trafficking such as the UNODC global fund against trafficking