2 December 2008

AI Index No: IOR 61/010/2008

Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking: Call for the election of independent experts of the highest calibre to monitor implementation

The next milestones on the road to enhanced respect and protection of the rights of persons subjected to human trafficking in Europe will be 5 and 8 December. On these days the first members of the expert group tasked with monitoring implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings will be elected.

Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International call for the election of the best qualified, independent and impartial candidates to serve as members of this group, known as GRETA (Group of Experts on action against trafficking in human beings).

Independent and thorough scrutiny of states’ implementation of the Convention is essential to strengthen the protection of the rights of individuals who have been trapped in a modern form of slavery and to promote the human rights based approach to combating trafficking in human beings.

To ensure that GRETA, will be able to effectively evaluate state parties’ compliance with their obligations under the Convention, its members must meet the highest standards of integrity, independence, impartiality, relevant expertise and professional experience; and this body must be afforded adequate resources to carry out its work.

Members of GRETA will be elected by the Parties to the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings: Albania, Armenia, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, France, Georgia, Latvia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania and Slovakia.

Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International urge the representatives of these states who will be voting in the election to take full account of the requirements for membership set out in the Convention and the election procedure when casting their vote.

The Convention requires GRETA experts to be independent and impartial in the exercise of their functions and chosen from among persons of high moral character, who possess recognized competence and professional experience in the field of human rights and action against trafficking in human beings. The composition of GRETA is to reflect multi-disciplinary expertise, gender and geographical balance.

The election procedure specifies that individuals holding decision-making positions in government or other organizations which may give rise to a conflict of interest with the responsibilities inherent to membership of GRETA, shall not be eligible. Members of the group are not to take instructions from any government, organization or person about how to carry out their duties as members of GRETA. Those elected must be available to participate in the meetings of GRETA, to make visits to countries and to prepare reports and conclusions of the expert group.

Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International call on those taking part in the election to cast their votes solely on the basis of the candidates’ merits – including his/her independence, skills and expertise and their commitment to contribute to the protection and promotion of the rights of trafficked persons.

On the occasion of the forthcoming election Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International also call on the 28 Council of Europe member states and the European Union, who have yet to do so, to become parties to the Convention without further delay.

Background

The Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings entered into force on 1 February 2008. As of today 19 Council of Europe member states have ratified the Convention. The Convention may also be ratified by the European Commission/European Union and the non Council of Europe member States which have participated in its elaboration.

The Convention establishes a two pillar system for monitoring implementation of its substantive provisions. The main element of this process, the evaluation of states’ compliance with the Convention, will be carried out by the Group of Experts on action against trafficking in human beings (GRETA). The second, pillar consists of an inter-governmental political body, the Committee of the Parties, which may also adopt recommendations on measures to be taken by a party to implement GRETA’s conclusions.

Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International stress that, because the Council of Europe is a human rights institution, GRETA should, while monitoring the implementation of the Convention, specifically focus on the human rights dimension of anti trafficking policies and should therefore also monitor the impact of anti trafficking polices on the rights of trafficked persons and affected groups.

The Committee of the Parties elects the members of GRETA. All parties to the Convention were invited to submit by 1 October 2008 a list of at least two candidates for the election. Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International have called on all states eligible to nominate candidates to put in place fair, open and transparent procedures for the identification and selection of candidates aimed at ensuring that those appointed are independent and possess the relevant expertise.

See also

• Amnesty International report: Council of Europe Convention against Trafficking: 14 Recommendations to ensure the election of independent experts of the highest calibre to monitor implementation, AI Index: IOR 61/025/2007, 1 November 2007, http://amnesty.org/en/library/info/IOR61/025/2007/en.

• Joint public statement issued by Amnesty International, Anti-Slavery International and La Strada International on the occasion of the entry into force of the Convention: "A major step forward in ensuring the protection of the rights of trafficked persons", 30 January 2008, http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/info/IOR61/003/2008.

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