Methodological note

• Author: Amandine Scherrer
• Pages: 12-12

EPRS | European Parliamentary Research Service

Methodological note

This ex-post evaluation was requested by the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality

(the FEMM committee) in November 2018. It focuses on the issue of trafficking in human beings in

the specific context of hotspots, i.e. first reception facilities for migrants and/or refugees.

The study therefore focuses on the nine hotspots currently operating in Italy (located in Lampedusa,

Messina, Pozzallo and Taranto) and in Greece (located on the islands of Chios, Kos, Leros, Lesvos and

Samos). Other receptions facilities for migrants arriving by sea in Europe are also operated in Spain

(notably in the enclaves of Ceuta and Melilla), but as the Spanish authorities have not requested any

EU support for these facilities, they are not operated as 'hotspots' and are thus outside the scope of

this study.

During the course of the eighth parliamentary term, the European Parliament stressed the need to

improve early identification of victims of trafficking at EU borders and the need to adopt more

gender-sensitive policies in this context. It also stressed that the hotspot approach should include

an anti-trafficking component geared towards the effective referral of potential victims to

competent authorities and services. These aspects are the guiding threads of this study.

Furthermore, in accordance with the FEMM committee's mandate, this study pays special attention

to the gender-related aspects of the issues presented.

The analysis is based on primary sources and official EU documentation, including reports and

studies published by the European Commission under the EU legal and policy framework to address

trafficking in human beings, and relevant EU agencies. It also builds on reports by regional

organisations (such as the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Co-operation in

Europe (OSCE)), international organisations (the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for

Refugees – UNHCR, the Uni ted Nations Office on Drugs and Crime – UNODC, and the International

Organization for Migration – IOM, in particular), and non-governmental organisations (NGOs). It also

uses academic research and media sources, while taking into consideration information and inputs

from the Office of the EU Anti-trafficking Coordinator and other relevant services of the European

Commission.

The study was peer-reviewed internally by colleagues from EPRS and submitted for comments to

the FEMM committee secretariat.