EU countries have been collecting official figures on trafficking in human beings for more than a decade, but differences in how national systems define and report cases still make it difficult to produce comparable EU-wide statistics.
The above finding comes from a new study by the EU Anti-trafficking Hub announced by the European Commission on Tuesday.
The study examines how trafficking statistics are collected, reported and used across the EU, drawing on a mix of research methods.
EU member states have established systems for gathering and reporting data on trafficking in human beings.
Several countries have also introduced national coordination mechanisms, digital tools and guidelines to support the collection and reporting of statistics on victims, offenders and forms of exploitation.
However, remaining differences in national definitions, data collection approaches, reporting practices and data-sharing possibilities can affect the quality, accuracy and comparability of trafficking statistics between member states.
New requirements and recommendations
Member states must implement all data categories and provide statistics in line with the EU Anti-Trafficking Directive by 15 July 2026, according to the study.
The report recommends that countries include “presumed victims” — people believed to be victims, even if not formally identified — in the trafficking data they send to Eurostat.
It also calls for improved reporting on victims and suspects or offenders linked to “knowing use” offences under Article 18a(1) of the Anti-Trafficking Directive.
Other recommendations include prioritising criminal justice-related data, setting up coordination models and strengthening cooperation among relevant stakeholders, and introducing data cleansing procedures and stronger quality checks.
