At the beginning of June 2025, the Platform Against Exploitation and Human Trafficking celebrated its tenth anniversary. A full day was dedicated to civil society engagement – with a program that impressively demonstrated how far civil society has come in combating exploitation and trafficking in human beings. At the same time, it became clear how significant the challenges still are. Representatives from politics, public administration, international organizations, as well as committed individuals, came together to take stock, discuss current developments, and formulate perspectives for the future.
CENTRAL GUIDING QUESTIONS
At the center of the discussions was the question: “How can we ensure that victims of human trafficking are not only protected in the short term but also integrated into society in the long term?”
The answers revolved around two interlinked pillars: access to residence permits and access to labor markets. Both factors determine whether victims are empowered and given future prospects – or whether they remain in a state of vulnerability.
INSIGHTS FROM TEN YEARS OF MONITORING
After more than a decade of systematic observation in 47 states party to the Convention, a wealth of data and analysis is now available. It clearly shows which measures are effective – and where states fall short of their obligations. The patterns are evident:
- Countries with solid residence permit systems not only provide security for victims but also strengthen their own structures in combating human trafficking.
- States that make access to residence permits and labor markets difficult risk that victims fall back into dependency or shy away from cooperating with the justice system.
The balance drawn from GRETA’s studies (the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings) underscores that residence status is the foundation for safety, stability, and access to justice – including the right to compensation.
BETWEEN PROGRESS AND GAPS
The Convention gives member states a certain flexibility in implementation. On the one hand, this openness has produced promising practices – such as models that grant victims immediate access to work and education. On the other hand, significant gaps have also become apparent.
The comprehensive analysis shows:
- Some states meet the minimum standards only formally, without creating practical pathways for victims.
- In several countries, restrictive barriers still prevent victims from exercising their rights.
- Political will is decisive: where it exists, effective protection mechanisms emerge; where it is lacking, rights remain only on paper.
At the conference, a GRETA expert reported that despite the growing trend of right-wing and partly authoritarian currents in European states, GRETA visits and evaluations are still taken seriously. Countries answer questionnaires, participate in discussions, and show efforts to improve – not least due to peer pressure. At the same time, she noted internal tensions, as the Committee of the Parties exerts pressure on experts, for example to simplify questionnaires. However, GRETA remains independent and committed to making recommendations, even if political developments make the environment increasingly challenging.
FACTS AND SOBERING REALITIES
The detailed evaluation paints a mixed picture. While individual states have developed exemplary solutions, the figures show significant deficiencies in many others. They tell the story of an implementation process that is advancing too slowly and too often falls short of human rights commitments.
INTEGRATION PARADOX AND PROTECTION DEFICITS
- In Switzerland, an “integration performance” is required for residence permits – but many victims are denied access to the programs necessary to achieve this.
- In Belgium, residence permits are strictly linked to criminal proceedings – if these fail, protection also ends.
- Such mechanisms contradict the human rights principle that protection must be based on the needs of victims, not on external conditions.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NEW EU DIRECTIVE
The EU Directive against Human Trafficking, adopted in 2024, obliges member states to undertake comprehensive reforms by July 2026:
- Ensuring housing, material support, and access to the labor market.
- Introducing formal referral mechanisms for cross-border cases.
- Guaranteeing non-punishment of victims previously criminalized for administrative offences such as illegal work, prostitution, or begging.
Implementation will be decisive in closing the existing gaps – but it depends heavily on political will.
POLITICAL FRAMEWORK CONDITIONS
Evaluations show: where political will is present (e.g., Denmark in dealing with refugees from Ukraine), rapid and comprehensive protective measures are possible. Yet the growing influence of right-wing populist and authoritarian governments poses the risk that standards may be weakened or recommendations ignored. GRETA views this development with concern.
CONCLUSION
The experiences so far make it clear: victims of human trafficking in Europe still receive very unequal levels of protection. Missing or delayed residence permits, restricted access to the labor market, and overly restrictive procedures keep many in dependency and insecurity.
The most urgent tasks are:
- Introducing humanitarian alternatives to residence permits that are solely dependent on cooperation with authorities.
- Establishing binding timeframes for decisions to prevent prolonged waiting periods.
- Guaranteeing labor market access and vocational training opportunities for victims.
- Eliminating bureaucratic barriers such as documentation requirements that victims cannot meet.
- Comprehensive implementation of the new EU Directive by 2026 to enforce minimum standards across Europe.
The future will depend critically on whether states take their human rights obligations seriously and grant victims of human trafficking the protection to which they are entitled – not only formally, but in practice. It is becoming increasingly clear that cooperation between authorities, organizations, and civil society actors must be significantly strengthened in order to exert joint pressure on states and implement effective measures. Success will only be possible if it is made unmistakably clear that human trafficking is a global problem affecting humanity as a whole, and that it is unacceptable for only a few to profit from it.
Translated by MMag. Julia Matzinger, BA
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