A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Germany on 8-12 May 2023 as part of the third evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The focus of this evaluation round of the Convention is on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. Prior to the visit, the German authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the third evaluation round. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA verified how the main recommendations made in its second evaluation report have been implemented.
During the visit, GRETA’s delegation met Ms Ekin Deligöz, Parliamentary Secretary of the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth, as well as officials from that ministry, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, the Federal Ministry of Justice, the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community, the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Action, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and the Foreign Office. Furthermore, GRETA’s delegation held meetings with representatives of the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees, the Federal Criminal Police Office, the Federal Police, the Federal Office for Economic Affairs and Export Control, public prosecutors and judges.
The GRETA delegation also met with members of the German federal parliament (Bundestag). A separate meeting was held with the National Rapporteur Mechanism for Trafficking in Human Beings within the German Institute for Human Rights.
Separate meetings were held with representatives of non-governmental organisations, trade unions, lawyers, researchers and victims of human trafficking.
In addition to holding meetings in Berlin, the GRETA delegation travelled to the federal states of North-Rhine Westphalia and Saxony where it met representatives of the state authorities, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, and civil society representatives.
During the visit, GRETA’s delegation visited counselling centres and shelters for victims of human trafficking in Berlin and Dortmund, the service centre against labour exploitation and human trafficking in Berlin, as well as a community housing centre for refugees in Berlin.
The visit was carried out by Ms Ia Dadunashvili and Ms Dorothea Winkler, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Petya Nestorova, Executive Secretary of the Convention, and Mr Roemer Lemaître of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report, which will be sent to the German authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report which will be published in 2024.
