Partnerships with other international organisations
Cooperation, strong partnerships and coordinated action are the keys to the success of anti-trafficking action. GRETA has developed partnerships with other international organisations active in the fight against human trafficking.
United Nations
GRETA continues to co-operate with United Nations agencies, including the Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), in the fight against Trafficking in Human Beings. Since April 2022, GRETA’s Secretariat has also been contributing to the efforts of the Task Force on Trafficking in Persons under the Regional Protection Working Group on the Ukraine situation established by UNHCR, IOM and UNODC.
Inter-Agency Co-ordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT)
ICAT is a multilateral policy forum established by the United Nations General Assembly through resolution A/RES/61/180 with the aim of improving the coordination and cooperation among UN agencies and other relevant international organizations to facilitate a holistic and comprehensive approach to preventing and combating trafficking in persons, including protection and support for victims and survivors of trafficking.
The Council of Europe is a partner of the Inter-Agency Co-ordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT).
OSCE
Action against trafficking in human beings has been one of the four priority areas of co-operation between the Council of Europe and the OSCE. Pursuant to the agreement reached at a meeting held in June 2010 in Paris, co-operation between the Council of Europe and OSCE in the field of action against trafficking in human beings focuses on awareness raising and advocacy, capacity building and assistance to governmental and non-governmental actors, and conducting assessments and monitoring and providing recommendations. The OSCE has observer status with the Committee of the Parties to the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention.
In addition, since 2018, annual meetings of National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinators and Rapporteurs or equivalent mechanisms are co-organised by the Council of Europe and the OSCE’s Office of the Special Representative and Co-ordinator for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings. The aim is to exchange promising practices, strengthen partnerships and promote the implementation of international obligations in the area of combating trafficking in human beings.
European Union
Trafficking in human beings is a violation of fundamental rights that is prohibited by Article 5 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In 2011, the EU adopted the Anti-Trafficking Directive (Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims) and on 14 April 2021, the EU Commission adopted a new EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025).
EU Strategy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings (2021-2025)
Council of Baltic Sea States (CBSS)
Prevention of trafficking in human beings has been identified as one of the objectives of the CBSS. It falls under the CBSS long-term priority “Safe and Secure Region” and is incorporated in the Policy Area “Secure” of the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region. The anti-trafficking efforts of the CBSS are led by the Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (TF-THB).
