The EU Directive on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims was amended

On 19 December 2022, the European Commission proposed an amendment to strengthen Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims. The proposed amendment was adopted on 27 May 2024.

With the amendment, the exploitation of surrogacy, forced marriage, and illegal adoption was added as forms of exploitation covered by the EU’s anti-trafficking law.

The dissemination of visual content of a sexual nature involving the victim through information and communication technologies has been added as an aggravating circumstance to the Directive, and mandatory sanctions have been imposed on legal persons responsible for human trafficking crimes.

Member states will have up to two years to transpose the amended directive into their national laws.