Trafficking – Council of Europe

Welcome to the Council of Europe’s web site
devoted to the fight against trafficking in human
beings

Overview

CAHTEH
Ad hoc Committee on action against
trafficking in human beings

Documents
International legal instruments,
national laws, reports and seminar proceedings

Secretariat

Links

NEWS:

The Council of Europe Convention on Action
against Trafficking in Human Beings (CETS N° 197) was adopted by the
Committee of Ministers on 3 May 2005 and opened for signature in Warsaw on
16 May 2005, on the occasion of the 3rd Summit of Heads of State and
Government of the Council of Europe. The text of the Convention and its
Explanatory Report are available here.

For information on the latest signatures
and ratifications, please consult the Council of Europe Treaty Office’s
website
http://conventions.coe.int/

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Non-official translations: German, Macedonian, Dutch (Belgium), Romanian, Slovenian

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The Convention is a comprehensive treaty mainly focussed on the
protection of victims of trafficking and the safeguard of their rights. It
also aims at preventing trafficking as well as prosecuting traffickers.

The Convention applies to all forms of trafficking; whether national or
transnational, whether or not related to organised crime. It applies
whoever the victim: women, men or children and whatever the form of
exploitation: sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, etc.

The Convention provides for the setting up of an independent monitoring
mechanism guaranteeing parties’ compliance with its provisions.

Theme page on action against trafficking in human
beings

More information concerning the Council of Europe Convention
on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings

Every year, thousands of women, children and men fall victim to
trafficking for the purposes of sexual or other exploitation, both within
and over borders. This phenomenon has reached such unprecedented levels
that it can truly be called a new form of slavery.

The Council of
Europe is an organisation whose primary concern is to safeguard and
protect human rights. Its 46 member states include countries of origin,
transit and destination of the victims of trafficking. This is why the
Organisation is well placed to ensure that its member states adopt
measures to fight trafficking in human beings, paying particular attention
to the protection of the rights of victims.

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