"MORE MUST BE DONE TO HALT HUMAN TRAFFICKING" - LYNNE

3.45.27pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 12th Jun 2007

Liz Lynne, Member of the European Parliament for the West Midlands, has today reiterated the need to urgently act against the illegal trafficking of people.

The MEP has for many years campaigned on this issue, having been the shadow rapporteur for a European Parliament report on human trafficking, the author of a written declaration and parliamentary questions on the subject, as well as influencing her own party's policy.

Speaking today from Brussels after an international hearing to discuss what the European Union can do to combat trafficking, Liz said:

"The United Nations estimates that between 700,000 and 2 million women and children are trafficked around the world each year and also between 1000 and 4000 are trafficked into the United Kingdom alone. Many of these are forced into prostitution and domestic servitude."

"Victims of trafficking are often extremely vulnerable and we need to ensure they are not treated as criminals but are protected and given time to recover."

"It is vital that all Member States sign and ratify the Council of Europe Convention on trafficking in human beings which provides a 30 day breathing period so that victims can decide if they will take part in the prosecution of the traffickers."

"EU members must also implement Directive 2004/81 on residence permits for the victims of trafficking; the UK has still not opted into this. The only way this atrocious practice will be stamped out is if we have a common and integrated approach across Europe that establishes minimum standards for the treatment of trafficking victims."

ENDS