CBSS - Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings

with focus on adults

What is the Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS)?

The Council of the Baltic Sea States is an international regional organisation focusing on intensified cooperation among the Baltic Sea States.The aim of the regional political forum is to achieve a greater unity between the CBSS member states and other partners by means of favourable and equitable economic development and secure democracy.

The Council has 12 members

• Denmark• Estonia• Finland • Germany• Iceland• Latvia• Lithuania• Norway• Poland• Russia• Sweden

•The European Commission

The CBSS is serviced by a Secretariat

The Secretariat houses a number of expert groups and units of which the CBSS Expert Task-Force against Trafficking in Human Beings (TF-THB) focusing on adults is one

Working Group on Children at Risk The TF-THB has been located in the

Secretariat since summer 2006

The CBSS - Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings with focus on adults (TF-THB)

At the 6th Baltic Sea States Summit in Reykjavik on 8 June 2006, “the Heads of Government welcomed the initiative and the consideration within the CBSS to integrate the successful work of the Nordic Baltic Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings into the CBSS framework, with the objective of fostering actions and enhancing cooperation to combat such trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region and its near vicinity.”

In contrast to the Nordic Baltic Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings, the TF-THB provides an encircled regional area by including Germany, Poland and Russia into the network

Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region (1)

A worldwide problem- variations with respect to (sub)regions and countries of origin, transit and destination

Trafficking in human beings is a serious problem affecting the Baltic Sea Region in different ways and is constantly changing

Grey: main destination Purple: main origin Red: both origin and destination

Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region (2)

Destination / Transit: Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden

Main Destination / Main Transit: Germany Origin / Main Destination / Main Transit: Poland Main Origin / Destination / Transit: Estonia, Latvia,

Lithuania and Russia

BUT...

Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region (3)

...trafficking in human beings in the Baltic Sea Region

is subject to constant changes, e.g.:

whereas Poland mainly used to be a country of origin in the beginning / middle of the 90s, due to economic changes and membership in the EU it is nowadays also a country of destination and transit

whereas Russia mainly used to be a country of origin of victims of trafficking in human beings for sexual exploitation, nowadays its number in victims of trafficking for forced labour are on the rise. Furthermore, it is also a country of destination for trafficking for various forms of exploitation.

Trafficking in the Baltic Sea Region (4)

Most of the countries in the Baltic Sea Region are also affected by internal trafficking

Target the regional situation and variations through enhanced regional cooperation between state actors and non state actors

TF-THB: Overall objective

The CBSS TF-THB strives to counteract trafficking in human beings in the Baltic Sea Region and its near vicinity through preventive and protective activities

The emphasis is on practical hands on work Mandated to fight human trafficking for all forms of

exploitation The Council of Europe Convention on Action against

Trafficking in Human Beings, (ETS nr 197, 2005) serves as a point of departure for all efforts and proposals

The CBSS - Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings with focus on adults (TF-THB)

The TF-THB with focus on adults within the CBSS framework is the only intergovernmental forum of its kind in Europe dealing with trafficking in human beings in this way.

By bringing together EU and non EU Member States, which are all differently affected by trafficking in human beings and constantly exchanging expertise with international and nongovernmental organisations, the TF-THB constitutes a unique entity in Europe.

The CBSS- Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings with focus on adults (TF-THB)

The TF-THB is currently composed of 24 experts from relevant ministries of the 11 member states in the region, including the EU Commission

The Chair function rotates among the Member States on an annual basis following the CBSS Presidency (from July 1 to June 30)

There are around three to four meetings yearly in order to achieve concrete results

Decisions are taken by consensus by the Task Force Experts

The TF-THB is being provided with a Secretary Function, a Senior Adviser at the CBSS Secretariat (seconded by Sweden)

TF-THB: Strategy 2008-2009

The TF-THB will receive funds from The Swedish National Action Plan Against Prostitution and Human Trafficking for Sexual Exploitation for its preventive work in the Baltic Sea Region for the years 2008 to 2010

TF-THB: Strategy 2008-2009

Trainings on human trafficking for diplomatic and consular personnel

Joint Project with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) on fostering Cooperation Models between NGOs and State Actors

Regional Information Campaign against Trafficking in Human Beings

Improved Data Collection and Support to Research on Human Trafficking in the Region

Comparative Regional Legal Analysis on Human Trafficking

TF-THB: Other Activities

• Closer corporation with the Nordic Council of Ministers• Launching the results of the Nordic-Baltic Network project• Coordination with other important actors in the region as well as the EU Commissioners Office on Justice, Freedom and Security• Swedish EU Presidency 2009

Recommendations

Interdependence – Cooperation and increased coordination of activities to join forces and avoid duplication

Self-reflection Knowledge- Trainings, research on all forms of

human trafficking Victim support- Increased resources and evaluate

the current models Tackle the demand that induces trafficking in human

beings for various forms of exploitation

Contact details

Anna Ekstedt - Senior Adviser Secretary to the CBSS Task Force against Trafficking in Human Beings

Council of the Baltic Sea States Secretariat P.O. Box 2010SE -103 11 Stockholmt/f: +46 8 440 1934/1944 m: +46 705 11 48 64

e: anna.ekstedt@cbss.org