ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the criminalization of the “knowing use of services” of trafficked persons in Europe, based on desk research and interviews with experts. While two-thirds of the EU Member States have introduced this criminalization, very few criminal convictions have been imposed based on this provision across Europe. Regardless of this scarce application, in January 2024 the European legislators agreed to include a binding provision in the revised EU Trafficking Directive, obliging Member States to criminalize “knowing use.” This chapter critically discusses this move towards further criminalization of the “use of services” of trafficked persons in Europe, looks at its application and possible impact in Member States, and discusses the revision of Article 18a of the EU Trafficking Directive.
