EU trafficking hotline must add value

1.00.00pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 13th Dec 2007

After the European Parliament adopted the EU budget for 2008 which includes funding for a Europe-wide anti-trafficking hotline which she co-sponsored, London Lib Dem MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford has called on the European Commission to make sure that hotline money is additional to other money for the fight against human trafficking.

Speaking from Strasbourg Sarah said:

"It's a great success that we have managed to get the €2 million (£1.4 million) for an anti-trafficking hotline into the budget, but we now need to ensure that the funding for this network is not shaved off from the support for other activities and NGOs.".

"The hotline will show that Europe is united and determined in tackling this terrible crime. The European Commission must now work closely with NGOs such as Stop the Traffik to see how they can be involved in setting up or running the hotline, given the expertise that they have."

"2007 has seen a real step change in tackling this problem, as European action has raised the profile and level of resources. We now need to see that this funding is properly used, and that member states, including the United Kingdom, ratify the Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings."