The role of parliamentarians in promoting the rapid entry into force of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and its ratification by as many states as possible

Doc. 11401
2 October 2007

Motion for a resolution
presented by Mrs VERMOT-MANGOLD and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

The Assembly refers to the commitment it showed at the time of the drafting of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and the victory this convention represented for the protection of the victims of trafficking, especially in view of the introduction of a thirty-day recovery and reflection period granted to victims.

Convinced of the effectiveness of this Convention, the Assembly wishes to ensure that it enters into force as rapidly as possible. To date, three years after its opening for signature in Warsaw on 16 May 2005, only eight member states have ratified the Convention, while ten ratifications are required for it to enter into force.

Furthermore, the effectiveness of the Convention depends on ratification by as many as possible of the countries of origin, transit and destination of the victims of trafficking. The urgency of victim protection is an absolute priority. This is why the Assembly is insisting on the ratification and swift implementation of the Convention.

In the context of the Council of Europe campaign of action against trafficking in human beings, the Assembly is therefore committed to bringing about the rapid and most extensive possible entry into force of the Convention, in both member states, non-member states and the European Community.

Moreover, convinced that the effectiveness of the Convention depends also on the appropriate functioning of its monitoring mechanism – the Greta – the Assembly urges that this mechanism be allowed to function independently and that sufficient, stable and predictable human and financial resources be made available.

Signed^1:

VERMOT-MANGOLD Ruth-Gaby, Switzerland, SOC
ANTUNOVIĆ Željka, Croatia, SOC
AUSTIN John, United Kingdom, SOC
BOSWELL Tim, United Kingdom, EDG
BURLISON, United Kingdom, SOC
CIRCENE Ingrīda, Latvia, EPP/CD
DAMANAKI Maria, Greece, SOC
DUPRAZ John, Switzerland, ALDE
FERNÁNDEZ AGUILAR Adolfo, Spain, EPP/CD
GAJDŮŠKOVÁ Alena, Czech Republic, SOC
GEDEI József, Hungary, SOC
HÄGG Carina, Sweden, SOC
HENDERSON Doug, United Kingdom, SOC
LAXTON Bob, United Kingdom, SOC
MacSHANE Denis, United Kingdom, SOC
MEALE Alan, United Kingdom, SOC
O'HARA Edward, United Kingdom, SOC
PRESCOTT John, United Kingdom, SOC
SAAR Indrek, Estonia, SOC
SZABÓ Zoltán, Hungary, SOC
VIS Rudi, United Kingdom, SOC
WOLDSETH Karin S., Norway, EDG

¹     SOC: Socialist Group
      EPP/CD: Group of the European People’s Party
      ALDE: Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe
      EDG: European Democratic Group
      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left
      NR: not registered in a group