The European Parliament today adopted a revision of the anti-trafficking legislation, adding forced marriage, illegal adoption and the exploitation of surrogacy to the list of criminal offences in the EU.

MEPs adopted the new regulation, which extends the scope of existing measures to prevent trafficking in human beings and better support victims, by a large majority, with 563 votes in favour, 7 against and 17 abstentions.

In addition to labour and sexual exploitation, the new legislation criminalises forced marriages, illegal adoption and the exploitation of surrogacy at EU level.

It also criminalises the use of services provided by a victim of human trafficking when the user knows that the victim is being exploited, and introduces penalties for companies convicted of human trafficking.

The rapporteur of the report, Eugenia Rodrigues Palop (Left, Spain) said: “Twelve years after the adoption of the directive, MEPs have had to revise EU rules as trafficking in human beings has become more complex and the resources at our disposal remain rudimentary.”

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Co-rapporteur Malin Bjork (Left, Sweden) said: “New forms of exploitation will be criminalised and the rights of victims, including migrants and asylum seekers, will be improved.”

Now the Council must formally approve the agreement. The directive will enter into force twenty days after its publication in the Official Journal of the EU and member states have two years to implement its provisions.