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 Belgium from 25 to 29 October 2021 as part of the third evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The focus of this evaluation round of the Convention is on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. Prior to the visit, the Belgian authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the third evaluation round. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA verified how the main recommendations made in its second evaluation report have been implemented.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation held consultations with Mr Vincent Van Quickenborne, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice and the North Sea as well as with officials from the Federal Public Services of Justice, of Public Health, Food Chain Safety and the Environment, of Foreign Affairs, and of Labour and Social Protection. Consultations were also held with the Inter-departmental Co-ordination Unit for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings and the Federal Migration Centre (MYRIA), which fulfils the role of National Rapporteur on Human Trafficking. The GRETA delegation also met representatives of the Board of General Prosecutors, the Federal Public Prosecutor's Office, the Foreigners’ Office, the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil), the Institute for Judicial Training, the Commission for Financial Aid to Victims of Crimes, the Federal Police, the Financial Intelligence Processing Unit (CTIF) and the Guardianship Service. Further, the GRETA delegation met Mr Bernard De Vos, General Delegate for Children’s Rights of the French Community, and members of the Belgian Parliament.
In addition to holding meeting in Brussels the GRETA delegation travelled to Antwerp, Liège and Bruges where it met representatives of the regional and local authorities, prosecutors, judges and law enforcement officials.
The GRETA delegation held separate meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), lawyers and victims of human trafficking.
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited the three specialised shelters for victims of human trafficking, in Brussels, Antwerp and Liège. The delegation also visited a shelter for children in Wallonia.
The visit was carried out by Ms Helga Gayer, President of GRETA, and Mr Georgios Vanikiotis member of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Daniela Ranalli of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Belgian authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report to be published in 2022.
