MEP Roberta Metsola yesterday reiterated her call to member states to take urgent action against human trafficking and smuggling networks.

She was speaking yesterday at the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs hours before the prime ministers’ meeting on migration.

“Smuggling and trafficking in human beings often leads to sexual and labour exploitation and forced begging. It must be tackled and, in this respect, there is also a need for increased support to strengthen Europol’s capacities to track down human traffickers,” she said.

Dr Metsola also noted that irregular migrant workers who made it to Europe were especially vulnerable to exploitation and abuse because the threat of deportation usually meant exposure to dangerous working conditions.

“We need to step up our enforcement and prosecution of those who exploit migrants without creating systems that prevent the reporting of abuse by the migrants themselves.

“This is not only a job for law enforcement, but civil society and unions must also play their part.”