2003/209/EC: Commission Decision of 25 March 2003 setting up a consultative group, to be known as the "Experts Group on Trafficking in Human Beings"

• Published date: 26 March 2003
• Subject Matter: Justice and home affairs
• Official Gazette Publication: Official Journal of the European Union, L 79, 26 March 2003

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2003/209/EC: Commission Decision of 25 March 2003 setting up a consultative group, to be known as the "Experts Group on Trafficking in Human Beings"

Official Journal L 079 , 26/03/2003 P. 0025 - 0027

Commission Decision

of 25 March 2003

setting up a consultative group, to be known as the "Experts Group on Trafficking in Human Beings"

(2003/209/EC)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty on European Union,

Whereas:

(1) The Union shall maintain and develop the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice.

(2) The Union shall provide citizens with a high level of safety within the area of freedom, security and justice. That objective shall be achieved by preventing and combating crime, organised and otherwise, in particular trafficking in persons and offences against children.

(3) According to Article 5(3) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union trafficking in human beings is prohibited.

(4) Trafficking in human beings as defined in the Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA of 19 July 2002 on combating trafficking in human beings is a serious crime comprising violations of fundamental human rights and human dignity and requiring a multi-disciplinary approach addressing the entire trafficking chain, comprising countries of origin, transit and destination alike.

(5) The Tampere European Council of 15 and 16 October 1999 called for prevention of all forms of trafficking in human beings. The Seville European Council of 21 and 22 June 2002 expressed the need for resolute action to combat trafficking in human beings.

(6) The Brussels Declaration as the final outcome of the European Conference on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings - Global Challenge for the 21st Century from 18 to 20 September 2002 includes an annex of recommendations, standards and best practices and expresses the need for an experts group on trafficking in human beings to be set up by the Commission.

(7) This experts group should contribute substantively to the further development of the prevention of and the fight against trafficking in human beings and enable the Commission to gather opinions on any Commission initiative relating to trafficking in human beings.

(8) Therefore, this experts group should be set up, its term of office defined and its administration organised,

HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DECISION:

Article 1

Sub...