CARE welcomes today’s announcement that the UK Government will be opting-in to the EU Trafficking Directive.

The Directive is a significant agreement which offers better protection to trafficked children, greater powers to prosecute those who traffic and protection for trafficked people in criminal proceedings. Until now, the UK was one of only two EU member states which had not opted-in, despite the Coalition’s promise to ‘tackle human trafficking as a priority’.

CARE was one of several key charities which campaigned for the Government to support the Directive. The campaign involved several initiatives which included hundreds of Valentine’s Day cards being sent to the Prime Minister, and an online petition, signed by 46,000 people, calling for the UK Government to opt-in.

CARE’s Chief Executive, Nola Leach, said “The Directive contains vital steps forward in making the UK a more hostile place for criminal gangs to operate, whilst ensuring that people who have been trafficked receive adequate care and protection. I am delighted that the Government has finally lived up to its promise to prioritise tackling this horrendous exploitation.”

For more information, please contact Louise on 020 7227 4717

1. You can find out more information on the implications of the EU Trafficking Directive at www.care.org.uk/eudirective

2. The Coalition Agreement promised that the Government would ‘tackle human trafficking as a priority’ – The Coalition Agreement, May 2010, page 21

3. Hundreds of people sent cards to David Cameron on February 14th asking him to act on behalf of the thousands of trafficked people in the UK who would be exploited, rather than showered with flowers and chocolate, on Valentine’s Day. The cards asked the Prime Minister to opt-in to the EU Trafficking Directive. The Campaign, entitled Treat Someone Special, was a joint initiative of CARE, ShareCreative and Stop The Traffik: www.treatsomeonespecial.com

4. The petition was run by 38 Degrees and can be found here: http://www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/stop-human-trafficking#petition

5. More information on the Government’s decision to opt-in can be found at http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-centre/news/eu-wide-action

6. CARE is a well-established mainstream Christian charity providing resources and helping to bring Christian insight and experience to matters of public policy and practical caring initiatives. CARE is represented in the UK Parliaments and Assemblies, at the EU in Brussels and the UN in Geneva and New York. CARE is a company limited by guarantee registered in England and Wales at 53 Romney Street, London, SW1P 3RF, Company No: 3481417, Charity No: 1066963, Scottish Charity No: SC038911