NewsEU Anti-trafficking day – CEPOL continues its efforts against THB
Ahead of the EU Anti-trafficking day, we reiterate our commitment to continue supporting common efforts at EU-level against this heinous crime and helping protect the victims.
Combatting human trafficking constitutes an important training priority in CEPOL’s portfolio.
We work to provide law enforcement officials with new, innovative and multi-layered learning solutions that can help them stay ahead of this heinous crime. Training facilitates communication between all parties and encourages joint actions. Sharing best practices among participants, encouraging the building of networks and further cooperation between countries of origin, transit and destination constitute an integral part of the CEPOL THB learning programmes.
Our latest training methodologies are fully reflected in our flagship Blended Training Programme on trafficking in human beings in the digital age. Implemented for the first time in 2023, its aim is to enhance knowledge and skills on the detection and investigation of cases of sexual exploitation committed by organised crime groups (OCGs) using the Internet, as well as on the identification and protection of the victims.
Made up of 3 training activities that are built on each other, it follows a step-by-step approach. To complete this blended learning training, participants follow a learning path that starts with an online phase (steps 1 and 2), followed by an intensive onsite training. Find out more about this year’s edition which was completed in June 2025 with a 100% satisfaction rate here.
Upcoming training activities in 2025 on THB
In November 2025, the CEPOL onsite training activity 09/2025/ONS on labour exploitation will be organised by the Cyprus Police in cooperation with the European Labour Authority (ELA)
. Find out more about last year’s edition here.
CEPOL is also preparing two webinars that will focus on trafficking of children for their exploitation by criminal networks. Both webinars will target law enforcement officials, including investigators and prosecutors involved in addressing trafficking in human begins and child trafficking. They will follow a multidisciplinary approach, sharing the expertise of law enforcement, civil society and academia. The webinars will be implemented as part of the EMPACT Operational Action Plan on Trafficking in Human Beings 2022-25 :
The 1st webinar (indicative date: 27/11/2025) will focus on the operational perspectives covering the detection and investigation of the trafficking of children for their exploitation by criminal networks, and it will look into:
- latest trends of child trafficking
- the modus operandi and the structure of criminal networks exploiting minors
- law enforcement techniques to detect and investigate cases of child trafficking and to identify the victims
The 2nd webinar (indicative date: 4/12/2025) will focus on the victim-centred and multidisciplinary approach of child trafficking, and will look into:
- the recruitment and grooming of child victims
- the psychological control of the minors by the criminal networks, including trauma bonding
- the engagement, and the safeguard of child victims.
More information regarding the above webinars will become available on our website closer to their delivery date.
Finally, in our law enforcement education platform, LEEd, registered users have access to a variety of relevant online training opportunities, allowing them to get informed and learn at their own pace, such as the online module on THB. It provides an overview on the topic of human trafficking, its definition and the different forms of exploitation. It also focuses on the EMPACT framework and the relevant investigative techniques to address this crime.
An overview of those year’s activities on THB is available in our Training Catalogue 2025
Find out about our latest activities on our website : trafficking in human beings | CEPOL
More information on the work of the EU to combat human trafficking is available on the dedicated webpages of the European Commission-Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs and the EU Council.
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Background information
Trafficking in human beings (THB) is one of the 10 main priorities of the EU Multidisciplinary Platform Against Criminal Threats (EMPACT) 2022-2025 cycle, and will remain a priority in the new cycle 2026-2029. The CEPOL EU Strategic Training Needs Assessment (EU-STNA) 2022-2025 recognised the importance of training at EU-level to combat trafficking in human beings and underlined the need of acquiring knowledge about the crime patterns of human trafficking for the purposes of sexual exploitation, labour exploitation and forced criminality. In response to the EU-STNA findings, in January 2025 CEPOL released an Operational Training Needs Analysis (OTNA) on THB, aiming to assess the most pressing training needs for law enforcement professionals across the EU and shape its future training portfolio accordingly. Human trafficking was also identified as a priority training area in CEPOL’s first Regional Training Needs Assessment report.
