Combating trafficking in human beings: offences, penalties and sanctions, liability in criminal matters. Framework Decision

The committee adopted the report by Ewa KLAMT (EPP-ED, D) broadly approving the Commission proposal (under the consultation procedure) subject, nevertheless, to a large number of amendments designed to tidy up the text. For example, it felt that human trafficking should not only be made punishable, but should explicitly be classed as a criminal offence. However, assistance given to persons without proper papers on humanitarian grounds should not be considered a crime. By contrast, complicity of civil servants, police officers or custom officials should be punished more severely. The committee was also in favour of setting up a compensation fund for victims, to be financed from the confiscated proceeds of crime. Other amendments concerned adequate protection for victims and witnesses, providing victims of human trafficking with a temporary residence permit for the duration of an investigation or legal procedure and setting up a database of missing persons.�