On 18 October 2022, the European Anti-trafficking Day, the Anti-Trafficking Division of the Council of Europe organised a round-table meeting to discuss progress made by Croatia in the implementation of the third report of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA), published on 3 December 2020, and the related Committee of the Parties’ recommendation to the Croatian authorities, adopted on 4 December 2020.

The meeting was opened by Mr Alen Tahiri, Director of the Government Office for Human Rights and Rights of National Minorities.

The event brought together over 30 participants from relevant ministries, state agencies and civil society organisations. They discussed developments which have taken place since the publication of the GRETA’s third report and remaining challenges. Particular attention was paid to victims’ access to justice and effective remedies, the criminal justice response to human trafficking, measures to prevent and combat child trafficking, and the identification of victims and their referral to victims. As a result of the meeting, specific measures to strengthen the implementation of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings were identified.

Croatia is expected to report to the Committee of the Parties to the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings on measures taken to comply with its recommendation by 4 December 2022.