The international dimension of Luxembourg’s policy to prevent and combat trafficking in human beings and protect the victims of this crime

While trafficking in human beings of third-country nationals always entails an international component (as the (presumed) victims originate from third countries), Luxembourg does not have a national policy regarding the prevention and fight against trafficking in human beings that has an explicit international dimension within the meaning of the scope of this study. In general, Luxembourg’s policy concerning the fight against trafficking in human beings is transversal (incorporating various stakeholders) and aims at eradicating this crime in all its forms. The existing policies and measures are therefore applicable to any (potential or presumed) victim of trafficking, independent of their nationality, and focus on three main areas: Prevention; Protection and promotion of the victim’s rights; Prosecution of the perpetrators and co-perpetrators. The main measures reported within the scope of this study relate to the efforts deployed since March 2022 that specifically target Ukrainian nationals in context of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lastly, it is worth noting that Luxembourg saw an increase in the number of investigations, prosecutions and convictions in cases of trafficking in human beings during the reporting period of this study. International stakeholders such as the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) of the Council of Europe and the U.S. Department of State also recognised the continued efforts and improvements made by Luxembourg in this field (the latter continuously confirming Luxembourg as a Tier 1 country in the fight for the elimination of trafficking). At the same time, they pointed out that there is still room for improvement to combat human trafficking even more effectively. For more detailed information on the general policies and measures regarding the detection, identification, and protection of victims of trafficking in human beings in Luxembourg, please consult the 2021 EMN Luxembourg study entitled “Third-country national victims of trafficking in human beings: Detection, identification and protection in Luxembourg”.