Belgium
- 9.1. Monitoring and analyses of the situation, trends and possible threads.
As mentioned above, one of the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism responsibilities is (pursuant to the royal decree of May 16th, 2004) to draft independent evaluation reports on the development in the field of trafficking in human beings (for details, see point 3).
The Department of Criminal Policy makes its own reports, which are submitted to the government trafficking in human beings (for details, see point 3). Except for the report submitted to the government, the Department of Criminal Policy is responsible (based on a royal decree of January 14th, 1994) for monitoring and evaluations of crime trends, proposals for measures taken by the criminal law, coordination of prevention policy, and enforcement of law. Under the scope of this responsibility, it drafts, and submits to the Collegium of Prosecutors General , annual evaluations of the enforcement of regulations guiding the detection, investigation, and prosecution of trafficking in human beings, i.e. primarily the crime trends.
There are other institutions, however, which also evaluate the crime trends. For example the Federal Police perform operational analyses on criminal gangs, draft reports describing the nature of the phenomenon, and make strategic analyses of trafficking in human beings.
The Social Inspection of the Ministry of Social Affairs also devotes one chapter of its annual report to the trafficking in human beings and related problems (the most recent official report is the 2006 annual report).
- 9.2. Collection of data on trafficking in human beings
Data concerning trafficking in human beings are not centralized and each of the above mentioned authorities would keep its statistics independently under the scope of its competences.
One of the members of the Interagency Committee to Combat Trafficking in Human Beings is the Centre for the Analysis of Trafficking in Human Beings and Related Information. The Centre for the Analysis of Trafficking in Human Beings and Related Informationis responsible for collection, centralization, control, exchange, and analysis of anonymous data to be used in support of anti-trafficking measures under the scope of tasks stipulated by the Management Board (pursuant to the royal decree of May 16th, 2004 on combating trafficking in human beings – article 14).
Nevertheless, the Centre for the analysis of trafficking in human beings and related information is not operational yet. Since the system works with anonymous data, the parties have found it very difficult to exchange information available to them. However, the current amendment to the above decree of May 16, 2004 should make the exchange possible.
The following bodies are responsible for the collection of data:- Department of Criminal Policy, Ministry of Justice: data on convictions
- Statistical analyses group of the Collegium of Prosecutors General : data on prosecution
- Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism: data on victims monitored by the dedicated reception centres
- Federal Police: police database focused on investigation of new trends in the crime of trafficking in human beings (individual perpetrators as well as the organized crime)
- Alien Police: victims of trafficking in human beings who had received a residency permit
- Social Inspection, Ministry of Social Affairs: figures concerning the economic exploitation (numbers of aliens employed without a residence permit and/or without a work permit; cases of violations of law; data concerning nationality of the aliens)
- SIRS (Information and Research Service in the field of combating fraud and illegal employment): collects trafficking-related information from several labour inspectorate services (primarily on economic exploitation)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs: data under competence of our diplomatic missions, primarily concerning illegal migration, trafficking in human beings, and asylum (based on voluntary participation of our missions).
- 9.3. Coordination of anti-trafficking activities on a national level
The coordination of anti-trafficking activities is primarily the task of the government, which brings all relevant measures to life. The executive arm of the government in this respect is the Interagency Group to coordinate anti-trafficking activities (established in line with a royal decree of May 16th, 2004).
The Interagency group is composed of representatives of relevant ministries, the Federal Police, and other relevant stakeholders – institutions and public bodies. It is chaired by the Minister of Justice or a high representative of the Ministry. The membership contains neither the NGOs which receive victims, nor the federal institutions in charge of special tasks (permits to release victims to home care, reception and care for minors, etc). The Interagency Group, however, may invite any instance or institution which it deems necessary to take part in its meetings.
Composition of the Interagency Group:Ministerial level:
- Prime minister
- Minister of Justice
- Minister of Interior
- Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
- Minister of Gender Requality and Social Integration
- Minister for Development Cooperation
Organizations, institutions, and services level:
- Collegium of Prosecutors General
- Federal Office of Prosecution
- Federal Police
- Department of Criminal Policy and the General Headquarters for legislation, fundamental freedoms and law (Ministry of Justice),
- Alien Office (L’Office des étrangers),
- Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism
- Ministry of Finance
- National Security Office (La Sûreté de l’Etat)
- Social Inspection (Ministry of social affairs) and Unit for Control of Social Legislation (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs)
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- Child Focus.
The Interagency group meets at least twice a year.A small group of experts (the Interagency Group Bureau) meets every month to facilitate monitoring of activities of the Interagency Group (work of the subgroups, events, etc...).
Composition of the Interagency Group Bureau:
- Chair: Department of Criminal Policy, Ministry of Justice
- Secretariat: Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism
- Alien Office, Ministry of Interior
- Federal Police
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Development Cooperation
- Social Inspection (Ministry of Social Affairs)
- Unit for Control of Social Legislation (Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs).
- 9.4. National Reports.
See above. - 9.5. Preparation and evaluation of the National Action Plans.
Belgium has an action plan to combat trafficking in human beings, which was adopted by the government on July 11th, 2008.
The Interagency Group Bureau is responsible for the National Action Plan. The plan is submitted to the Interagency Group for Comments, Potential Changes, and Approval. After the approval in the Interagency Group it is submitted to the government for a final approval.
The National Action Plan clearly divides responsibilities for individual projects. The Interagency Group Bureau monitors the implementation of the National Action Plan and reports back to the Interagency Group at its meetings
- 9.8 See appendices
- National action plan to combat trafficking in human beings of July 11th, 2008.
- Reports: 3 most recent reports made by the Centre for Equal Opportunities and Opposition to Racism