Combatting human trafficking in South and South-East Asia: fresh priorities needed, say EU Auditors
The EU’s policy for combatting human trafficking in South and South-East Asia should be more relevant to the needs of the region, and a fresh set of priorities is required, according to a new report from the European Court of Auditors.
The EU is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking as it is an attractive destination for victims from a wide range of countries. While fighting human trafficking remains the Member States’ responsibility, the EU is also committed to eradicating it and supports the Member States in this regard.
The auditors looked at the effectiveness of EU support for the fight against human trafficking in South and South-East Asia during the period 2009-2015, with total funding of €31 million. Asia, the world’s most populous region, is a significant region of origin for victims of trans-regional trafficking.
They found that while the EU’s human trafficking policy framework provides for a comprehensive approach, some aspects are not yet fully developed or relevant to the regions. Human rights dialogues are particularly useful, and other tools include support for regional forums. But so far, no new partnerships dedicated to combatting human trafficking have been created between the EU and any of the countries in South and South-East Asia.
“Trafficking in human beings is a highly profitable crime, a gross violation of human rights and a global security threat,” said Mrs Bettina Jakobsen, the Member of the European Court of Auditors responsible for the report. “The EU must better prioritise how and where it spends its available resources so that the level of activity matches its financial commitments.”
Most of the projects examined produced some positive results, although sustainability was a concern. Since 2009, the fight against human trafficking in the regions has improved overall, although there are significant differences between countries. However, the auditors say it is difficult to link the overall development to the results achieved by EU action.
The auditors make a number of recommendations to the European Commission and the European External Action Service for making the human trafficking strategic framework more relevant to South.
Source: European court of Auditors
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