How to prevent and combat human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation in Malta? This question was addressed during a webinar, organised on 20 March 2023, to present the Recommendation adopted in 2022 by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings (THB) for the purpose of labour exploitation. The event brought together nearly 60 representatives of government departments, law enforcement officers, health-care professionals, social workers, prosecutors, judges, labour inspectors, civil society organisations, trade unions, and the private sector who will be involved in the preparation of Malta's future anti-trafficking strategy.

The strategy should specifically target this form of trafficking in the light of the recommendations made by GRETA in its third monitoring report on Malta and taking due account of the recommendation of the Committee of Ministers. To this end, Kamelia Dimitrova and Colin Carswell, experts engaged by the Council of Europe, presented the key points of the recommendation in view of building a common understanding of the specificities of THB for the purpose of labor exploitation. Participants discussed measures that could be developed in Malta to prevent and combat this form of trafficking, which is of growing concern across Europe.

This activity was carried out in the framework of the Project “Supporting Malta in the design and implementation of a new anti-trafficking strategy”, which aims to contribute to the ongoing policy reform for combating trafficking in human beings in Malta. The project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.