Every year, thousands of victims of human trafficking remain unidentified as they cross borders. As we marked the International Day against Trafficking in Persons a few days ago, we question whether Europe’s new phase of migration governance, focused on strengthening border control and preventing irregular arrivals, contributes to ensuring that people at risk of exploitation are recognised and protected.
Research and evidence from frontline practice consistently show that restrictive migration policies alone do not prevent migration or address the factors that enable human trafficking, which occurs when people are exposed to exploitation, violence, social exclusion and a lack of safe alternatives. When safe and regular pathways become less accessible, many people continue their journeys through increasingly dangerous routes, often relying on smugglers or informal networks that may expose them to exploitation and trafficking.
For this reason, policies primarily centred on deterrence, containment and externalisation may unintentionally increase protection risks. Accelerated border procedures, limited access to individual assessments and transfers to third countries may reduce opportunities to identify victims of trafficking at an early stage, delaying or preventing access to specialised support and protection. These risks are particularly significant for children travelling alone, women exposed to gender-based violence and other people in situations of heightened vulnerability.
In this context, the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which entered into force in June 2026, represents one of the most significant reforms of the European asylum and migration system in recent years. The Pact aims to create a more harmonised framework for asylum procedures, responsibility-sharing among Member States, and border management. At the same time, it places a strong emphasis on preventing arrivals through non-regular pathways, accelerating border procedures, increasing returns and reinforcing cooperation with countries outside the European Union.
While EU institutions present these measures as a way to improve coordination and predictability, many civil society organisations, international organisations and human rights experts have expressed concerns about their potential impact on access to international protection and fundamental rights.
Externalisation and the “safe third country” approach
One of the key developments of the Pact is the increased emphasis on cooperation with third countries: through the expansion of the so-called safe third country approach, Member States may increasingly rely on arrangements with countries outside the EU where asylum seekers could potentially be transferred, even when their connection with that country is limited or absent. Over recent years, the EU and individual Member States have developed partnerships with several countries of origin and transit, combining financial support, technical cooperation and migration management objectives.
Supporters of this broader trend of migration externalisation argue that cooperation with partner countries can contribute to preventing exploitation by smugglers, strengthening protection systems and developing alternative pathways. However, human rights organisations have highlighted several concerns, particularly regarding the capacity of partner countries to guarantee effective access to asylum procedures, protection standards and long-term solutions for people in need.
If people can be transferred before their situation has been fully examined and their protection needs assessed, there is a risk that vulnerabilities, including experiences of exploitation or trafficking, may remain unidentified. Victims of trafficking often do not immediately disclose their experiences due to fear, trauma, dependency on exploiters or lack of trust in authorities. Effective identification therefore requires time, specialised knowledge, cultural mediation and access to protection-oriented services.
SafeBorders and REACHing: strengthening protection through cooperation
The way migration is governed has direct consequences for people’s rights, protection and access to justice, and must remain grounded in international human rights and refugee law. It is key to strengthen identification mechanisms and cooperation among institutions and civil society actors: frontline professionals, reception services, legal actors and community organisations play a key role in recognising vulnerabilities and ensuring that people receive appropriate support.
Rather than approaching trafficking primarily as a border security issue, SafeBorders and REACHing focus on strengthening the capacity of institutions and frontline professionals to identify, protect and support people at risk of trafficking while safeguarding their rights.
SafeBorders works to reinforce judicial cooperation and improve investigations by supporting judges, prosecutors and frontline professionals through specialised training, cross-border cooperation and innovative AI-supported investigative tools. At the same time, the project promotes knowledge-sharing and awareness-raising activities to strengthen coordinated responses against trafficking networks.
REACHing complements this approach by focusing on early identification and assistance. Through multidisciplinary mobile teams operating in Italy, France and Greece, the project supports frontline professionals, strengthens cooperation between public authorities and civil society organisations, develops common operational tools and promotes transnational exchange of practices, including with partner organisations from Morocco.
Together, the two projects reflect a shared understanding that protecting people from trafficking requires cooperation rather than fragmentation, prevention rather than deterrence alone, and responses that place human rights, dignity and access to protection at the centre of migration governance.
For further reading:
Arnoux Bellavitis, M., & Ripoll Servent, A. (2026). The New Pact on Migration and Asylum in a shifting political context: Depoliticization and repoliticization in EU external migration policy. Mediterranean Politics, 31(3), 631–640. https://doi.org/10.1080/13629395.2025.2498846.
About SafeBorders
SafeBorders – Strengthening Judicial expertise and Frontline support to combat Child Trafficking is a project co-funded by the Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs of the European Union.
About REACHing
REACHing – REinforcing Assistance to viCtims of Human trafficking was launched in 2025 with support from the EU’s Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
For further information, contact Luciano Cortese, luciano.cortese@cesie.org.
