Kényszermunka céljából elkövetett emberkereskedelem – Az EPP Képviselőcsoportja foglalkozott a problémával (EN)

According to the International Labour Organisation´s estimations, there are at least 12.3 million people in forced labour worldwide, out of which 2.4 millions of victims of trafficking in human beings.

Today´s  Hearing  in the European Parliament chaired by MEP Edit Bauer on combating trafficking for forced labour took place in cooperation between the EPP Group and the Churches´ Commission for Migrants in Europe.

In her opening speech at the Hearing MEP Edit Bauer underlined that trafficking in people is a modern day slavery, a “high profit – low risk” business, that produces 32 billion USD profit per year, however, according to the latest International Labour Organisation estimations, this amount can be even higher.

The EPP Group, as the largest and most influential political force in the European Parliament, has always felt important to raise awareness to violations of human rights, what trafficking in human beings indeed is. “Therefore I am very happy that the EPP Group gave possibility to organise this hearing. Our aim is to point out that trafficking in human beings is also about forced labour, a crime that has special characteristics and is often widely tolerated by the society. This needs to be changed and adequately addressed by all possible means” added Mrs. Bauer.

“In spite of the traditional conceptions that trafficking in human beings concerns only the sex industry, researches show that there are new trends being underestimated. Trafficking for forced labour is increasing, as well as the child trafficking, leaving many cases of these crimes unrevealed and unpunished” highlighted Edit Bauer (EPP, SK), co-rapporteur of the latest directive on trafficking in human beings.

Among the speakers was Doris Peschke General Secretary of the Churches Commission for Migrants in Europe who stated that there is a widespread assumption that trafficking for forced labour is a marginal phenomenon in Europe or rather a marginal side-effect of undeclared migrant labour. However, the International Labour Organisation estimation shows that the victims of forced labour lose an estimated 21 billion USD every year in unpaid earnings which demonstrates that it is not a marginal issue.

For further information:

Edit Bauer, MEP. Tel: +32-2-2845673

Atilla Agárdi, EPP Group Press & Communications Service, Tel: +32-475-750272