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 France from 8 to 12 February 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 French 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 officials from the Inter-ministerial group on combatting violence against women and human trafficking (MIPROF), the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Solidarity and Health, the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Integration, the Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of National Education, Youth and Sport, the National Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII), and the National Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA). The GRETA delegation also met Ms Isabelle Dely, Vice-President of the National Court of Asylum (CNDA), Mr Jean-Marie Burguburu, President of the National Consultative Committee on Human Rights (CNCDH), which acts as France’s National Rapporteur on human trafficking, Mr Eric Delemar, Ombudsperson for Children, and Mr Dominique Potier, Member of the National Assembly.
Furthermore, the GRETA delegation held meetings with representatives of the Paris Police Headquarters, as well as judges and prosecutors from the Court of Justice of Paris. In addition, the delegation travelled to Lyon and Rennes where it met officials from relevant regional and departmental directorates, law enforcement agencies, labour inspectors, prosecutors and judges.
The GRETA delegation held separate meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations and trade unions, lawyers and victims of human trafficking.
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited a specialised shelter for women victims of human trafficking for sexual exploitation run by the NGO AFJ and a specialised shelter for victims of labour exploitation run by the NGO CCEM, in Paris. In addition, the GRETA delegation visited a workshop for integration of victims of sexual exploitation run by the NGO Amicale du Nid in Lyon.
The visit was carried out by Ms Helga Gayer, President ad interim of GRETA, and Ms Dorothea Winkler, First Vice-President ad interim of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Mr Mesut Bedirhanoglu of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the French authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report to be published at the end of 2021.
