Co-operation projects
The Council of Europe provides tailor-made support to countries, aimed at strengthening the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, based on the country-specific recommendations of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA).
A range of activities are carried out with the support of national and international experts.
Strategic or legal advice
Studies
Expert missions `
Peer-to-peer exchanges
Specialised advice
Training
Multidisciplinary seminars
The co-operation projects use a combination of legal and policy support, capacity building and awareness-raising and research. The projects seek to establish multisectoral partnerships and interdisciplinary working groups to ensure dialogue between different institutions.
- The Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Division manages the projects, together with staff of relevant Council of Europe local offices
- Support is primarily provided through the joint regional cooperation programmes of the EU and the Council of Europe (Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, South programme) and extra-budgetary resources.
- Law enforcement officers, prosecutors, judges, lawyers;
- Labour inspectors;
- Child protection, education and health professionals;
- Border, migration and asylum authorities;
- Civil society organisations;
- The private sector, including media.
Austria
2025-2026 | Improving the support services for child victims of trafficking in Austria
The project supports Austria in its efforts to implement reforms and improve the system for identification, assistance and protection of child victims of trafficking in human beings. The project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.
Improving the support services for child victims of trafficking in Austria (2025-2026)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2025 | Strengthening access to justice and effective remedies for victims of trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The aim of the project is to strengthen domestic mechanisms and capacities to facilitate and improve access to justice and effective remedies for the victims of trafficking in human beings in Bosnia and Herzegovina. To that aim, the key focus will be to enhance the knowledge and capacities of relevant public institutions, criminal justice actors, legal professionals, and civil society organisations.
Malta
2022-2025 - Supporting Malta in the design and implementation of a new anti-trafficking strategy
The Project aims to contribute to the ongoing policy reform for combating trafficking in human beings in Malta. This reform requires special attention and expertise due to the complex and evolving nature of human trafficking. The Council of Europe will provide its technical support to the Maltese authorities to design and implement a new Anti-trafficking Strategy and Action Plan in accordance with international standards in this area, in particular the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
Supporting Malta in the design and implementation of a new anti-trafficking strategy (2022-2024)
North Macedonia
2023-2026 | Strengthening anti-trafficking in North Macedonia
The action “Strengthening anti-trafficking in North Macedonia” is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” running from January 2023 until December 2026.
Serbia
2023-2026 | Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Serbia
The action “Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Serbia” aims at strengthening prevention of trafficking in human beings, identification, and protection of victims of trafficking, prosecution and conviction of traffickers, and access to remedies for victims of trafficking. It is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, running from 2023 - 2026.
Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Serbia (2023-2026)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2023-2024 | Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Project aimed to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings and the national Anti-trafficking Strategy and Action Plan. The Project was funded by voluntary contributions in the framework of the Council of Europe Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina (2022–2025).
Strengthening anti-trafficking action in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2023-2024)
Bosnia and Herzegovina
2019-2022 | Preventing and combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The action on “Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina” was implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022".
Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2019-2022)
North Macedonia
2019-2022 | Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in North Macedonia
The action on “Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in North Macedonia” was implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in North Macedonia (2019-2022)
Serbia
2019-2022 | Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Serbia
The action on “Preventing and Combating Human Trafficking in Serbia” was implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings in Serbia (2019-2022)
Turkey
2019-2022 | Strengthening the Human Rights Protection of Migrants and Victims of Human Trafficking in Turkey
The action on “Strengthening the human rights protection of migrants and victims of human trafficking in Turkey” was implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey 2019-2022”.
Kosovo*
2022-2023 | Enhancing anti-trafficking actions in Kosovo*
The aim of the project "Enhancing anti-trafficking actions in Kosovo*" was to support the local institutions in strengthening anti-trafficking actions and following up on the conclusions and recommendations of the second report of the Council of Europe Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) on the compliance of Kosovo* with the standards of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.
Enhancing anti-trafficking actions in Kosovo* (2022-2023)
* "All reference to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation’s Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo."
The Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention is the first international legal instrument to take a human rights-based approach to the fight against human trafficking.
An important added value of the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention is the monitoring mechanism set up to supervise its implementation by State Parties
