A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out a second evaluation visit to Luxembourg from 2 to 5 October 2017. The visit provided an opportunity to assess developments in the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings since the first evaluation by GRETA in 2013.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met Mr Félix Braz, Minister of Justice, and officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry for Internal Security, the Ministry for Equal Opportunities, the Ministry of Education, Children and Youth, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the Public Prosecution Service, the Criminal Police, the National Inspectorate of Labour and Mines, and the Reception and Integration Office. A meeting was also held with District Court investigating judges.
Further, consultations were held with the Advisory Committee on Human Rights (CCDH), which fulfils the role of National Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, the Ombudsman, Ms Claudia Monti, and the President of the Ombuds-committee for the Rights of the Child, Mr René Schlechter.
The delegation also met with members of the Chamber of Deputies’ Legal Committee, chaired by Ms Viviane Loschetter, and members of the Chamber of Deputies’ Delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, chaired by Ms Anne Brasseur.
Separate meetings were held with representatives of non-governmental organisations, trade unions and lawyers. The GRETA delegation also met officials from the local office of the International Organization for Migration.
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited an NGO-run shelter for girls in crisis situations, which can accommodate victims of trafficking, and an accommodation facility for male victims of trafficking. The delegation also visited the detention centre for foreigners in Findel, as well as a reception centre for asylum seekers and an accommodation centre for unaccompanied children in the city of Luxembourg.
The visit was carried out by Ms Alina Braşoveanu and Ms Nathalie Martin, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Mr Markus Lehner of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following this visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Luxembourg authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report which will be made public in 2018.
