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 from 11 to 15 December 2017. 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 2013.
The GRETA delegation met the Secretary of State of Justice and Security, Mr Mark Harbers, as well as officials from relevant departments of the Ministry of Justice and Security (JenV), the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Education, Culture and Science, the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations, the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment, the Public Prosecution Service, as well as a judge from the Court of Amsterdam.
Further, the GRETA delegation met representatives of the National Police, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee (KMar), the Inspectorate SZW, the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND), the Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA), the Expertise Centre on Human Trafficking and People Smuggling, the Police Academy, and the Violent Offences Compensation Fund.
Discussions were also held with representatives of the Office of the National Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings and Sexual Violence against Children.
Moreover, GRETA met representatives of the cities of Rotterdam and The Hague, as well as the National Information and Expertise Centre.
The GRETA delegation held separate meetings with representatives of non-government organisations, the FNV Trade Union Federation and an association representing sex workers. Discussions were also held with representatives of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the United National Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited a shelter for male victims of trafficking, a shelter for girls victims of “loverboys” and a protected shelter for foreign child victims of trafficking.
The visit was carried out by Mr Ola Laurell and Ms Dorothea Winkler, members 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 Dutch authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report, to be published in 2018.
