The Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) has published its annual report for 2021.
During the reporting period, GRETA conducted monitoring visits to ten countries and adopted six country reports (France, Latvia, Malta, Montenegro, Romania and the United Kingdom). In 2021, Israel acceded to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
According to the expert group, trafficking in human beings and the exploitation of children have continued to increase despite government measures. The report cites the increased vulnerability of children during the COVID-19 pandemic as one reason, including the increased use of online technologies for exploitation on the internet.
Increased use of so-called information and communication technology (ICT) has been observed, especially to recruit and control trafficked persons. In 2021, GRETA therefore commissioned a study on online and technology-based trafficking in human beings. The annual report provides a summary of the study and recommendations to address emerging challenges, such as law enforcement and data protection.
The expert group continued to address issues of trafficking in the context of flight and migration. GRETA emphasises the negative impact of pushback on the identification of trafficked persons. Serious concerns are also raised about States Parties' compliance with certain obligations under the Convention, such as identification and assistance to trafficked persons, as well as risk assessment prior to removal and compliance with the obligation of non-refoulement.
