The Advisory Group (AG) to the Joint Project on “Supporting Malta in the design and implementation of a new National Anti-Trafficking Strategy” held its second meeting (online) on 1 June 2023 with the participation of its members from DG-REFORM, the Ministry for Home Affairs, Security, Reform and Equality and its Human Rights’ Directorate and Human Rights’ Initiatives Unit.

The members of the AG welcomed the analysis of the needs and gaps that should be addressed to improve the anti-trafficking system in Malta. In this regard, they discussed the consultation process which would involve the discussion of preliminary analytical reports and draft strategic recommendations on prevention, protection and prosecution during roundtables and bilateral meetings organised on 12-15 June in Malta. The AG members confirmed that these consultations will be the last step before initiating the drafting process of the future anti-trafficking strategy.

The Council of Europe and its international experts also addressed the Maltese Anti-Human Trafficking Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) at its third meeting, held on 12 June 2023, to present possible ways of enhancing national anti-trafficking leadership structures by clarifying the roles of a national anti-trafficking coordinators and rapporteurs or equivalent mechanisms in accordance with international standards.

The next meeting of the Project Advisory Group should take place in October 2023.

This activity was carried out in the framework of the Project “Supporting Malta in the design and implementation of a new anti-trafficking strategy”, which aims to contribute to the ongoing policy reform for combating trafficking in human beings in Malta. The project is co-funded by the European Union via the Technical Support Instrument, and implemented by the Council of Europe, in cooperation with the European Commission.