A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Poland from 14 to 18 November 2016. The visit provided an opportunity to assess progress in the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings since the first evaluation visit by GRETA in 2012 (link to GRETA report on Poland).
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met representatives of the Ministry of the Interior and Administration, which co-ordinates Poland’s efforts against trafficking in human beings, including officials of the Human Trafficking Department of the National Police and the Border Guards headquarters and training centre. It also met officials from the Ministry of Justice, including the Prosecutor General’s Office and the National School of the Judiciary and Prosecutors, the Ministry of Health, including the agency for organ donations and transplantations, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, including the Office for Foreigners, and the State Labour Inspection Authority.
Discussions were also held the Plenipotentiary for Equal Treatment and Civil Society and representatives of the Polish Parliament (Sejm).
In addition, the GRETA delegation held meetings with representatives of the network of anti-trafficking NGOs, the All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ), the Polish Bar Council, lawyers specialised in representing to victims of trafficking and the Director of the Human Trafficking Centre of Warsaw University. Discussions were also held with representatives of the offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in Poland.
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation travelled to Gorzów Wielkopolski where it met the regional anti-trafficking team and visited a crisis centre which can accommodate victims of trafficking. The delegation also visited Child Care Home No. 2 of Warsaw Municipality which can accommodate child victims of trafficking.
The visit was carried out by Mr Jan van Dijk, Second Vice-President of GRETA, and Ms Alina Braşoveanu, member of GRETA, who were accompanied by Mr Mats Lindberg of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Polish authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report to be published in 2017.
