From 2013-2017 there were 24 cases of people trafficked for forced labour in Luxembourg, mainly in the food and drink and construction sectors Shutterstock

From 2013-2017 there were 24 cases of people trafficked for forced labour in Luxembourg, mainly in the food and drink and construction sectors Shutterstock

The Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (Greta) report (PDF) assessing developments since its last evaluation in January 2014, was published on 6 November 2018.

It recorded that 65 cases of human trafficking, of which 42 involved women, were detected in Luxembourg from 2013 to 2017.

Sexual exploitation was the most common motivation of traffickers, accounting for 42 cases while 24 cases concerned people trafficked for forced labour, mainly in the food and drink and construction sectors. Authorities also detected four cases of forced begging and two of forced criminality.

The largest victim group concerned people from Romania (12), followed by Brazil (9), Albania (8), China (4) and Moldovia (3).

Greta said that Luxembourg had made progress in a number of areas, such as the legal framework for combatting human trafficking, training and awareness-raising. It also praised the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee for coordinating anti-trafficking activities and the appointment of the advisory committee on human rights (CCDH) as an independent national rapporteur for human trafficking.

Additional measures required

But, it calls for additional measures to better identify trafficking victims. “The authorities should also pay greater attention to detecting trafficking victims among asylum seekers and foreign workers,” stated the report.

And Greta wants suspected victims to be systematically referred to specialised assistance services, regardless of whether they make an official report to police.

In the case of child trafficking victims, of which there were nine from 2013-2017, the Greta wants to see a “clear identification procedure involving child specialists, and to pay special attention to unaccompanied foreign children and children in street situations.”

It further stressed the importance of offering a recovery a reflection period to suspected foreign victims of trafficking and that residence permits be issued without undue delay.