The EU Anti-Trafficking Hub published a new policy paper, National Referral Mechanisms in the EU: Mapping, Analysis and Further Guidance, examining how all 27 Member States identify, refer, assist, and protect victims of human trafficking through their National Referral Mechanisms (NRMs). It highlights progress as well as ongoing challenges, including detecting less visible forms of trafficking, ensuring long-term support, improving cross-border referrals, and strengthening data collection and monitoring.
The paper shows that since 2018 EU Member States have made substantial progress in the development of NRMs, moving from predominantly informal or practice-based coordination arrangements towards more structured and formalised systems. Progress is also evident in the expansion of early detection and referral frameworks, with many States developing written procedures, indicators and multidisciplinary models that allow presumed victims to access protection and assistance earlier, and not solely through criminal justice pathways.
Despite this progress, several Member States need to take further action to ensure their NRMs function effectively in practice, and are well-coordinated and evaluated. In several Member States, NRMs are not yet established by laws, regulations or administrative provisions or lack clear enforceability, resulting in uneven implementation across sectors and regions. Access to long-term protection and residence status for victims – particularly third country- nationals – often remains de facto linked to cooperation with criminal proceedings, contrary to a victim-centred approach. Persistent weaknesses are also observed in the early detection of less visible forms of human trafficking, notably labour exploitation, child trafficking and forced criminality, reflecting gaps in training, mandates and proactive screening beyond law enforcement.
A few Recommendations from the report:
- Clarifying the roles of key actors, including civil society, to be involved in NRMs and strengthening coordination mechanisms.
- Strengthening early detection of all forms of trafficking
- Ensuring consistent, multidisciplinary training on the NRM across all EU MS
- Strengthen unconditional access to victim support, ensuring that all victims, including non-EU nationals, can access immediate assistance regardless of cooperation with law enforcement.
- Strengthening monitoring, data collection of THB data and evaluation of NRM effectiveness against minimum standards.
- Designate a single, state-mandated focal point distinct from police or border guard international liaison functions and provide the focal point with dedicated staff, written SOPs for cross-border referral, secure communication infrastructure, and guaranteed availability outside standard office hours.
- Develop standardised cross-border referral templates covering risk assessment, support needs, consent documentation, and case closure/follow-up obligations.
- Plan for the cross-border referral of third-country cases from the outset. The focal point obligation applies only between EU MS, yet a significant share of cross-border THB referrals involve non-EU origin or destination countries.
- Member States should clarify how the focal point will engage non-EU actors – including through IOM and existing TRM structures – to avoid gaps in protection continuity.
La Strada International is a partner of the EU anti-Trafficking Hub.