The new laws would provide harsher punishment for human traffickers and extend the reach of Europol.
The following article is a short summary of an article written by Jorge Liboreiro on November 28, 2023, on the Euro News website. You can view the original full article here.
According to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, the number of detections of irregular border crossings at the European Union’s external borders rose by one fifth (+18%) in the first eight months of 2023 to over 232 350, the highest total for the January-August period since 2016. In reaction to this increase, several Member States have asked for harsher migration policies.
In response, the European Commission has introduced two draft laws that harshen the punishment for the crime of human trafficking and expand the role of Europol. The proposal outlines several factors that could increase punishment and prolong imprisonment for human trafficking violators, such as the use of violence and the trafficking of unaccompanied minors. Causing the death of a migrant could lead to a maximum of 15 years in prison, which is almost twice the amount of time outlined in the current legislation.
The EC also suggests a more broader definition of human trafficking, wording which now includes advertising on the Internet and social media with the purpose of attracting people to come to Europe and which also incorporates circumstances with a “high likelihood” of causing harm to an asylum seeker, even if there is no financial profit.
The draft laws also extend the jurisdiction of the laws beyond what is stated in current legislation, namely crimes committed in international waters, and allow Europol to deploy its forces inside non-EU countries, as long as there is an agreement signed with the host country.
The proposed legislation was announced at the same time as the launch of the European Commission Call to Action for a “Global Alliance to Counter Migrant Smuggling”. Read more about the launch and legislation here.
The feature image is courtesy of Markus Spike from Unsplash.
