site.btaInternational Conference in Sofia to Address Human Trafficking and Labour Migration Risks

An international conference titled Human Trafficking: The Path of Labour Migration – Traps and Opportunities for Third-Country Nationals will take place in Sofia on February 6, 2025. The event is organized by the National Commission for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (NCCTHB) in cooperation with the International Justice Mission (IJM) – Romania, NCCTHB said here on Tuesday.

The conference, set to take place in Sofia, will open with addresses by key officials and experts. Deputy Prime Minister and Chair of the NCCTHB Atanas Zafirov and Minister of Foreign Affairs Georg Georgiev will deliver opening remarks. Other speakers include EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator Diane Schmitt and Member of the European Parliament and Vice-Chair of the Committee on Legal Affairs Emil Radev. Director of the European Program for Combating Human Trafficking at IJM Shawn Kohl and NCCTHB Secretary Daniela Saveklieva will also speak, and European Commissioner for Home Affairs and Migration Magnus Brunner will deliver a special video address.

Keynote speakers include Executive Secretary of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings Petya Nestorova and Special Representative and Coordinator for Combating Human Trafficking at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) Kari Johnstone.

The conference will also feature an introduction to European and national policies on human trafficking, including the impact of Bulgaria and Romania’s accession to Schengen. Speakers addressing these topics will include Head of the Enforcement and Analysis Unit at the European Labour Authority Pedro Assares, Member of the UK Parliament, and Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery Karen Bradley, Director of Romanian National Agency Against Trafficking in Persons Cristina Maria Stepanescu, representatives of the regional prosecution services, and a panel of experts on countering cross-border crime, labour market policy and labour mobility.

Participants from various institutions, intergovernmental organizations, migration experts, law enforcement agencies, national industry representatives, trade unions, and non-governmental organizations will also attend the event. The discussions will be centred on the practical aspects of labour migration policies and the links between legal employment opportunities and the risks of human trafficking faced by third-country nationals, NCCTHB said.