Report by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern on THB March 2010

Land Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Schwerin, 24 February 2010Internal Affairs SectionBSPC Working Group on Civil SecurityDr. Armin Jäger, MPDescription of the trafficking-situation in the Federal State of Mecklenburg-VorpommmernHave there in your country been made any analyses giving a picture of the extent of the problem trafficking in human beings? Does there exist a concrete picture of the problem?In Germany human trafficking is interpreted as part of crimes related with migrant smuggling. Since 2000 the Joint Investigation Team on the Smuggling of Human Beings (Gemeinsame Ermittlungsgruppe Schleuser – GES M-V)[1] of the Federal State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (M-V) draws up an annual state-wide situation picture on the smuggling of migrants. In addition, the Federal police, the police authorities of the federal states organized in the Northern Association (Nordverbund), and the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation provide crime-specific situation pictures, too. There is no preparation of a situation picture on human trafficking in M-V. Data of this crime are processed by the Office of Criminal Investigation for the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation for an annually Federal situation report.Does your country have a National Co-ordinating Mechanism, a National Action Plan, and a National Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings?In Germany the fight against the smuggling of human beings is based on the Framework Directive on Preventing and Combating the Smuggling of Human Beings, Illegal Entry and Illegal Residence (Rahmenrichtlinie zur Verhinderung und Bekämpfung der Schleusungskriminalität, der unerlaubten Einreise und des unerlaubten Aufenthaltes), which became effective on 1 January 2005.[2] It represents a basis for cooperation across authorities, departments, agencies and institutions at the Federal State level or Federal level. In M-V there is a direct cooperation between the police, the Federal police and customs in the Joint Investigation Team on the Smuggling of Human Beings (GES M-V). If applicable, cooperation is also extended to other authorities. The fight against human trafficking is coordinated by the Federal Office of Criminal Investigation, which cooperates with the Federal police in combating human trafficking. Since 2006 there is a Joint Centre for Analysis and Strategy Migrant Smuggling at the Federal Level (Gemeinsames Analyse- und Strategiezentrum illegale Migration), combining related departments and agencies. In M-V the fight against human trafficking is coordinated by the Office of Criminal Investigation. Social institutions and police authorities closely cooperate with a network of counselling centres and NGOs committed to protect victims of sexual exploitation and the exploitation of human labour through human trafficking.Does your country have any special laws concerning trafficking in human beings?The German Criminal Code (StGB) (§§ 232, 233 and 233a – Human Trafficking for the Purposes of Sexual Exploitation and the Exploitation of Human Labour) as well as the German Residence Act (AufenthG) (§§ 95–97 – Smuggling of Migrants and Associated Activities) contain the relevant penal provisions. There is no special legislation in M-V.-----------------------[1] The Joint Investigation Team on the Smuggling of Human Beings (Gemeinsame Ermittlungsgruppe Schleuser – GES M-V) in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Office of Criminal Investigation was founded in 1999. The team acts as the central agency of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern for identifying and combating the organized smuggling of human beings and associated crime and is made up of police officers and Federal police officers as well as a customs officer (the latter since 2006).[2] The decision made by the ministers of the interior and the report on which it is based are classified.