On 25 January 2019, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) published a new report on Italy. According to the report, Italy has taken additional measures to combat trafficking in human beings, but a number of issues continue to give rise to concern. The positive steps taken by the Italian authorities include amendments to the Criminal Code and the adoption of a law strengthening the protection of unaccompanied children, including child victims of trafficking. However, GRETA is concerned that recently adopted legislation excluding asylum seekers from access to reception centres risks leaving possible victims of trafficking without assistance. Another positive development is the adoption of guidelines for the identification of victims of trafficking among applicants for international protection and the involvement of specialised NGOs in the victim identification process. However, the number of persons identified and assisted as victims of human trafficking in Italy has remained in the region of 1,000, despite the significant increase in the number of asylum seekers and migrants arriving in the country. GRETA urges the Italian authorities to increase their efforts to proactively identify victims of trafficking, in particular for the purpose of labour exploitation. The need for dedicated centres for asylum seekers who are presumed victims of trafficking is also highlighted. Moreover, GRETA urges the Italian authorities to take additional measures to prevent unaccompanied or separated children from going missing and to increase their outreach work to identify child victims of trafficking for different forms of exploitation. The report stresses the importance of building strategic partnerships with NGOs and trade unions, involving them in anti-trafficking action. The Code of Conduct for NGOs undertaking activities on migrants’ rescue operations at sea should be reviewed in order to enable the identification of victims of trafficking amongst migrants and refugees at sea and in ports.

The report assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report on Italy in 2014 as regards the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.