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 the Netherlands on 19-25 October 2022 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 Netherlands 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 Eric van der Burg, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Justice and Security, as well as officials from the Ministry of the Justice and Security, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (Labour Inspectorate), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, and the Ministry of Interior Affairs and Kingdom Relations. Furthermore, GRETA’s delegation held meetings with representatives of the Police, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee, the Financial Intelligence Unit, the National Information and Expertise Centre, the Regional Information and Expertise Centre for Rotterdam Region, the Violent Offences Compensation Fund, the Legal Aid Board, as well as prosecutors and judges.
The GRETA delegation also met with members of Parliament (Tweede Kamer). A separate meeting was held with the Office of the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children.
In addition, the delegation met representatives of the municipal authorities of Amsterdam, Leeuwarden, Rotterdam and Tilburg, and the Association of Netherlands Municipalities.
Meetings were also held with non-governmental organisations, lawyers and international organisations.
During the visit, GRETA’s delegation visited five shelters accommodating victims of human trafficking in different cities across the Netherlands.
The visit was carried out by Ms Antoaneta Vassileva, First Vice-President of GRETA, and Mr Peter Van Hauwermeiren, member of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Mr Roemer Lemaitre of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the Netherlands authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report which will be published in the second half of 2023.
