Malta is being encouraged to step up efforts to provide assistance, including safe accommodation, to victims of human trafficking in a report published today by GRETA, the Council of Europe’s Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings.

The report assesses developments since the publication of GRETA’s first evaluation report in November 2012 as regards the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by Malta.

A number of the recommendations made in that report had been implemented, including the putting into place of a national referral mechanism defining the roles and responsibilities of different agencies in identifying and assisting victims of trafficking.

Another positive development was the increased attention paid to combating human trafficking for the purpose of labour exploitation.

GRETA welcomed the adoption of the new Victims of Crime Act, which includes provisions regarding access of victims of trafficking to assistance and compensation.

However, it urged the Maltese authorities to ensure that the procedure for the identification and referral to assistance of child victims of trafficking took into account their special needs, including involvement of psychological support and pertinent training of staff.

The offence committed against a child, regardless of the means used, should be introduced as an aggravating circumstance.

GRETA was also concerned that the legal provisions concerning the recovery and reflection period had not been amended.

The Maltese authorities, it said, should also make further efforts to improve access to compensation for victims of trafficking, including through the provision of information and legal aid.

It urged the Maltese authorities to ensure that human trafficking cases were investigated, prosecuted and adjudicated promptly and effectively.