RESOLUTION ADOPTED BY THE ELDR CONGRESS
AMSTERDAM 2003

- whereas as it is crucial for liberals and democrats to fight trafficking in human beings, since it constitutes a breach of fundamental human rights,

- whereas a lack of respect for human rights, the subordination of women and children in society and poverty are the most fundamental reasons behind trafficking in human beings,

- whereas trafficking in women for sexual exploitation has increased dramatically in Europe during the last years, involving approximately 500.000 women primarily from Eastern Europe, making it one of the largest types of criminal action and a great violation of human rights,

- whereas trafficking is a form of modern slavery made up of a number of criminal elements like deprivation of liberty and maltreatment, forced prostitution, fraud, smuggling and trade in human beings,

- whereas failure to respect basic human rights must have unequivocal implications for the action of the European Union,

A common strategy to prevent trafficking

Taking account of the above, the ELDR party

- calls on the ELDR group in the European parliament to work for the implementation of a comprehensive European strategy to fight trafficking,

- calls on the member states to implement the EU framework decision adopted by the Council in order to create comprehensive laws against human trafficking,

- urges all European countries to increase their aid to NGOs that help victims who have been forced into trafficking,

- calls on the European institutions to provide financial aid in order to make the implementation of different programs, campaigns and educational courses possible in countries of origin, transit and destination,

- calls on the Commission and the Council to introduce a common code of conduct for all civil and military staff that serve in EU missions,

- calls on European governments to ensure strong collaboration between the police and border police from other states and to establish a common European database containing information about missing persons and suspected victims of trafficking,

- calls on the ELDR group to continue to be in the forefront and to make sure that the issue of trafficking is put on top of the agenda of the European institutions in order to enhance the awareness of trafficking.