REGIONAL CONFERENCE ON TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS AND ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

BUCHAREST, 21 MAY 2001

AGREED CONCLUSIONS

Following the adoption by South East European Ministers on 13 December 2000 of the Palermo Declaration on Trafficking in Human Beings, representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYR of Macedonia , Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine met in Bucharest on 21 May to discuss effective cross-border solutions to what has become a serious cross-border problem, namely trafficking in human beings and illegal immigration.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of governments and law enforcement agencies from the US, Sweden/EU Presidency, Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and the UK, as well as representatives of the European Commission and international organisations engaged in tackling this problem.

The participants recognised that the phenomenon of trafficking in human beings and illegal immigration from, through and to South Eastern Europe has become a priority issue of concern for all European governments. The recent armed conflicts and violence which have affected the region of South East Europe have drawn attention to the crimes of sexual violence in situations of armed conflict. The steps taken in the Rome statute of the International Criminal Court to include sexual slavery and enforced prostitution, alongside other grave forms of sexual violence, as war crimes as well as crimes against humanity whether committed in armed conflict or in peacetime, is evidence of the seriousness with which the international community condemns such crimes.

One of the most alarming factors in the growth of this trend is the increased involvement of organised criminal networks. The participants agreed that there is increasingly a critical need for intensified and coordinated efforts at the national, regional and international levels. The protection of human rights and the dignity of trafficking victims must be given the highest priority in such efforts, with particular attention paid to the special rights and needs of children.

They recognised the contribution, in the context of growing European integration, of the existing programmes of the European Union and mechanisms of cooperation with the European Commission and different regional initiatives. They declared their support for implementing the comprehensive anti-trafficking process launched by the Stability Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings, under the auspices of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, and by the International Organisation for Migration, making use as appropriate of the SECI Regional Centre for Combating Trans-Border Crime.

The representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine recognised the need wherever at the national level there is an inadequate degree of alignment of the legislation in the area of trafficking in human beings and illicit migration with major international legal instruments, and wherever there is a lack of established adequate administrative structures, to take measures by:

• developing or strengthening coordinated national strategies and structures on human trafficking, led by dedicated national coordinators;
• elaborating or revising comprehensive legislation on all aspects of trafficking, in accordance with international legal instruments, including those governing the protection of refugees, and ensuring effective and speedy implementation;
• strengthening national law enforcement and prosecution capabilities through enhanced interagency coordination and national task forces, including the introduction of specialised training programmes;
• identifying and implementing best practices in law enforcement and prosecution;
• identifying and implementing a system to measure the effectiveness and timeliness of law enforcement response and a systematic reporting mechanism with analytical conclusions;
• strengthening border control systems to reduce the risk of illegal immigration and trafficking in human beings, with full respect for the 1951 Convention relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol;
• concluding bilateral readmission agreements with neighbouring and other countries as appropriate;
• introducing or enhancing pro-active and cost-effective public awareness campaigns directed at potential victims of trafficking;
• ensuring assistance for the safe return and reintegration of trafficked individuals, including through cooperation with non-governmental organisations and international agencies.

The representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine furthermore acknowledged the importance of strengthening cooperation at the regional level in the following ways:

• development of regional public awareness campaigns, with the assistance of the Stability Pact, the International Organisation for Migration and other relevant international agencies, and non-governmental organisations;
• exchange of information between national agencies, including through the SECI Regional Centre liaison officers, to identify the methodology of human trafficking and people smuggling by organised crime;
• consider establishing, with the help of the SECI Regional Centre, joint law enforcement and border police teams to monitor vulnerable border crossing points;
• cooperation between national law enforcement agencies, the International Organisation for Migration, non-governmental organisations and the appropriate diplomatic and consular officials on the safe repatriation of trafficked persons.

The representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine, conscious of the importance of drawing on the experiences and expertise of countries outside the region, and mindful of the need for international support, called on the Supporting States of the Stability Pact and the international agencies and organisations involved in the fight against trafficking in human beings to offer assistance to national and regional initiatives, based on the Action Plan of the Stability Pact Task Force on Trafficking in Human Beings (presented in Vienna on 27 April 2001) and on the Action Plan of the SECI Regional Centre approved on 9-10 April 2001.

They recommended that the Coordinator of the Stability Pact Task Force could draw up a matrix of all bilateral and multilateral programmes in the region with a view to coordinating activities and identifying future needs.

They asked the OSCE to ensure that OSCE field missions in the region are mandated to monitor the extent of trafficking in human beings and the measures taken to tackle the problem in their respective areas of operation. The OSCE field missions should coordinate their activities on the ground with field representatives of other international organisations, such as the International Organisation for Migration, European Union Monitor Missions, the Council of Europe, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as with the Stability Pact Task Force Coordinator and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.

The representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine noted the importance of addressing the social and economic causes of trafficking in source countries, including poverty and inequality. Improved social and economic conditions would reduce vulnerability to trafficking while the rigorous pursuit and prosecution of organised crime activity in source, transit and destination countries would act as a significant deterrent.

They stressed the importance of early ratification of the UN Convention Against Transnational Organised Crime and signature of the Palermo Protocols by all countries of the region. They also urged that the relevant Council of Europe instruments related to trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation, (in particular Recommendation R (2000) 11), organised crime, cyber-crime, proceeds of crime, and co-operation in criminal matters should be fully implemented.

Finally, the representatives of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, FYR of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine agreed that regional follow-up meetings of law enforcement and prosecution officials would be valuable.