18 October marks the EU Anti-Trafficking Day, dedicated to raise awareness of trafficking in human beings and the exploitation of women, men and children.
Data collection helps to support legislation and develop measures that address trafficking in human beings. Since 2013, Eurostat collects data on trafficking in human beings and identifies trends, challenges, and progress in combatting trafficking in all EU countries.
On 13 October 2025, Eurostat released a report covering 10 years (2013-2023) of EU data of trafficking in human beings. Some of the main findings are:
- Over 83 000 trafficking victims were registered in the EU in the last decade;
- Trafficking for sexual exploitation remains the main form of trafficking;
- Cases of trafficking for labour exploitation have surged since 2019 (+70.5%), matching the number of registered victims for sexual exploitation in 2022;
- The rise in trafficking for labour exploitation in the EU has led to more male victims;
- The number of victims from non-EU countries has tripled.
More information in the full report: Trafficking in human beings in the EU: main findings 2013-2023
Trafficking in human beings is a hidden crime for which targeted legislation and operational actions are needed to protect victims and bring perpetrators to justice. The new EU Anti-Trafficking Directive has to be transposed by Member States by 15 July 2026. Operational cooperation between EU countries continues with the support of EU agencies such as Europol, Eurojust and Frontex.
