CETS 197 – Trafficking in Human Beings, 16.V.2005
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Bearing in mind the following recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council
of Europe: Recommendation 1325 (1997) on traffic in women and forced prostitution in
Council of Europe member states; Recommendation 1450 (2000) on violence against women
in Europe; Recommendation 1545 (2002) on a campaign against trafficking in women;
Recommendation 1610 (2003) on migration connected with trafficking in women and
prostitution; Recommendation 1611 (2003) on trafficking in organs in Europe;
Recommendation 1663 (2004) Domestic slavery: servitude, au pairs and mail-order brides;
Bearing in mind the European Union Council Framework Decision of 19 July 2002 on
combating trafficking in human beings the European Union Council Framework Decision of
15 March 2001 on the standing of victims in criminal proceedings and the European Union
Council Directive of 29 April 2004 on the residence permit issued to third-country nationals
who are victims of trafficking in human beings or who have been the subject of an action to
facilitate illegal immigration, who cooperate with the competent authorities;
Taking due account of the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
and the Protocol thereto to Prevent, Suppress and Punish Trafficking in Persons, Especially
Women and Children with a view to improving the protection which they afford and developing
the standards established by them;
Taking due account of the other international legal instruments relevant in the field of action
against trafficking in human beings;
Taking into account the need to prepare a comprehensive international legal instrument
focusing on the human rights of victims of trafficking and setting up a specific monitoring
mechanism,
Have agreed as follows:
Chapter I – Purposes, scope, non-discrimination principle and definitions
Article 1 – Purposes of the Convention
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The purposes of this Convention are:
a
to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings, while guaranteeing gender equality
b
to protect the human rights of the victims of trafficking, design a comprehensive
framework for the protection and assistance of victims and witnesses, while guaranteeing
gender equality, as well as to ensure effective investigation and prosecution;
c
to promote international cooperation on action against trafficking in human beings.
In order to ensure effective implementation of its provisions by the Parties, this Convention
sets up a specific monitoring mechanism.
Article 2 – Scope
This Convention shall apply to all forms of trafficking in human beings, whether national or
transnational, whether or not connected with organised crime.
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