SERBIA: Support to Strengthening the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings (Twinning)

About the Project

Objectives

Officially launched in September 2018, this EU Twinning project supports Serbia’s continuing efforts to harmonise national policies within the home affairs sector with EU standards and the acquis and to meet pertinent EU accession criteria as foreseen in Serbia’s Action Plans on Chapters 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) and 24 (Justice, Freedom, Security).

The project’s overall objective is to contribute to the implementation of the acquis through strengthening capacities of relevant institutions to fight against all forms of trafficking of human beings (THB) in line with EU best practices.

The project will be implemented against the background of the new Serbian Strategy for the Prevention and Suppression of Human Trafficking, especially Women and Children, and the Protection of Victims (2017–2022) adopted by the Serbian government in summer 2017. Simultaneously, the National Anti-Trafficking Coordination Office (NATCO) within the General Directorate of Police was established, which will act as primary Serbian interlocutor.

Expected results

The project is expected to improve the detection of THB, the prevention of THB and the protection of victims of THB through strengthening capacities of the Criminal Police Directorate for efficient coordination with other relevant institutions (Center for Protection of THB Victims within the Ministry of Labour, Employment, Veteran and Social Policy (MLEVSP); Prosecutors Office; civil society organisations). In close cooperation with NATCO and the other Serbian partners, an efficient National Referral Mechanism shall be developed.

These results will be achieved through joint activities under the following three project components:

  1. Analysis of the institutional framework
  2. Capacity building
  3. Prevention and protection of victims and development of an Early Warning System

The Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR) brings in its human rights and THB expertise into specific project activities under Component 3, cooperating with experts from the Austrian Criminal Intelligence Service as well as the LEFÖ Intervention Center for Trafficked Women.

The project as a whole is implemented in the form of an EU Member State consortium between Austria (Federal Ministry of Interior in cooperation with the Agency for European Integration and Economic Development (AEI)) and Slovenia (Ministry of Interior) twinning with the Serbian Ministry of Interior.

Project Data

Country: Serbia
Persons involved: Susanne Fraczek, Andreas Sauermoser
Contact persons: Agnes Taibl
Lead Organisation: Federal Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Austria in cooperation with Agency for European Integration and Economic Development (AEI)
Partner Organisations: Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Slovenia, Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Fundamental and Human Rights (LBI-GMR); Beneficiary institution (SR): Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia
Project start: 09/2018
Project end: 01/2021
Project completed: Yes
Funded by: European Commission, Directorate-General European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations (DG NEAR)
Programme Line LBI-GMR: Rule of Law and Public Sector Reform