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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 09 BRUSSELS 000244 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE PASS G/TIP, G-ACBLANK, EUR/WE, EUR/PGI, INL, DRL, 
PRM, AND USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM KTIP KCRM KWMN SMIG KFRD ASEC PREF ELAB
BE 
SUBJECT: BELGIUM: 2009 TIP REPORT -- CORRECTED COPY 
 
REF: 2008 SECSTATE 132759 
 
THIS IS A CORRECTED COPY OF BRUSSELS 237. (Reason - reftel 
and margins.) 
 
¶1. (U) POC for Brussels is Political Officer Aaron Jensen. 
Email: JensenAW@state.gov; Office:33-2-508-2483. 
 
¶2. (U) Hours spent by Embassy Brussels preparing this report 
by employee: Charge Wayne Bush (FE-MC):3 hours; 
Political-Economic Counselor Richard Eason (FO-01): 8 hours; 
Political Officer Aaron Jensen (FO-02): 31 hours; Office 
Management Specialist Ellen Hamblett (FS-05): 2 hours; Office 
Management Specialist D'Lynn Wicker (FS-06): 2 hours; 
Political Specialist Ivan Couttenier (LES-11): 120 hours. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Begin Text of Report: 
 
¶23. (SBU) THE COUNTRY'S TIP SITUATION 
 
-- A. Information on trafficking in persons is supplied by 
the Federal Police, the Justice Ministry, the Center for 
Equal Opportunity and the Combat against Racism (CEOCR), the 
shelters for victims, NGOs, and is also available through 
parliamentary documents.  These sources are publicly 
available, are reliable, and annually updated. 
 
-- B. Belgium is a destination and transit country for 
trafficked persons.  Female trafficking victims in Belgium 
are usually young women, primarily from Eastern Europe, 
Sub-Saharan Africa, and Asia.  Prominent source countries are 
Bulgaria, Romania, Russia, and Nigeria.  Most victims are 
trafficked to Belgium's larger cities or other European 
countries (notably the United Kingdom) and are usually 
trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation.  Male 
victims are typically trafficked for labor exploitation in 
restaurants, bars, sweatshops, horticulture, fruit farms, and 
construction sites.  The main source countries of labor 
trafficking victims are China, India and Brazil. 
 
-- C. Trafficking victims are often held in degrading 
conditions.  Judges take the following conditions into 
consideration when rendering trafficking verdicts: housing 
conditions; workload and pay in economic exploitation cases; 
deprivation of identity documents; use of physical violence; 
and use of extortion.  Victims of sexual exploitation often 
travel legally to Belgium, their destination country, and 
become illegal aliens by overstaying.  Many girls were 
victims of sexual exploitation in their home countries. 
 
-- D. Belgium is not a source country. 
 
-- E. Traffickers include both large international crime 
syndicates and smaller criminal organizations active in 
several types of organized crime.  .  Criminal groups are 
increasingly professionally organized.  Ring leaders often 
operate from outside Belgium and make use of middlemen.  Most 
of these criminal organizations come from  Western Africa, 
Bulgaria, and Romania.  Female victims are offered lucrative 
jobs, but end up in the prostitution business.  Whereas 
traditional prostitution is diminishing, massage parlors, 
commercial escort services, and internet prostitution are 
gaining ground. Victims of economic exploitation are often 
trafficked through employment agencies.  Marriage brokers are 
also involved in trafficking. 
 
 
¶24.  (SBU) SETTING THE SCENE FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S ANTI-TIP 
EFFORTS: 
 
-- A. The Belgian authorities acknowledge that trafficking is 
a problem. 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  002 OF 009 
 
 
 
-- B. The Council of Ministers sets policy orientation, which 
is implemented through the Interdepartmental Coordination 
Unit for the Combat against Trafficking and Smuggling.  The 
anti-TIP effort is a key part of the government's 2008-2011 
law enforcement program.  The Coordination Unit meets two or 
three times per year, and is chaired by the Justice Minister. 
 A secondary, technical level inter-agency group meets 
monthly to carry out Coordination Unit's directives.  This 
group includes representatives from the Criminal Policy 
Department of the Justice Ministry, the Center for Equal 
Opportunities and the Combat against Racism (CEOCR), the 
Immigration Office, the Federal Police, the State Security 
Service, the Social Welfare Ministry, and the Employment 
Ministry.  The information gathering is in the hands of the 
IAMM/CIATTEH. The latter's capability to analyze trafficking 
is hampered, by the legal privacy restriction which forces 
IAMM/CIATTEH to use anonymous data. 
 
-- C. Neither funding nor corruption is considered 
impediments to combating trafficking in Belgium.  The CEOOR 
listed lack of parliamentary oversight in its 2007 annual 
report a as its chief recommendation; there is no specific 
parliamentary committee addressing trafficking. 
 
-- D. Over the past several years Belgium has greatly 
improved its data gathering regarding trafficking, with 
information supplied by the Justice ministry, the Federal 
Police, and the three specialized trafficking shelters. The 
Center for Equal Opportunity and the Combat against Racism 
(CEOCR) is tasked with issuing an annual evaluation report on 
the government's anti-trafficking policy and efforts.  The 
CEOCR's 2007 annual trafficking report was issued in May 2008. 
 
¶25.  (SBU) INVESTIGATION AND PROSECUTION OF TRAFFICKERS. 
 
-- A. The first anti-smuggling measures were taken under the 
1980 Access to the Territory, Residence, and Immigration Act. 
 In 1995 Parliament adopted the first comprehensive 
anti-trafficking act. The Belgian act of April 13, 1995, 
contained a series of measures aimed at repressing human 
trafficking and child pornography.  The law defined 
trafficking in persons as "helping in any way whatsoever, 
either directly or through an intermediary, an alien who 
enters or resides in Belgium, and, in doing so, directly or 
indirectly making use of fraudulent practices, violence, 
threats or any form of force against that alien on account of 
his or her uncertain administrative status or due to 
pregnancy, illness, disability or mental disorder."" In 2002, 
Parliament adopted legislation to combat organized crime more 
effectively.  A further restructuring of the anti-trafficking 
effort occurred in 2004. 
 
In 2005, lawmakers adopted a major overhaul of the 1995 
legislation. It aligned Belgian legislation with prevailing 
European and international law, in particular the additional 
protocols to the UN Convention Against Transnational 
Organized Crime (2000), The EU Council framework decision on 
combating trafficking in human beings (2002), the EU 
directive on the facilitation of unauthorized entry, transit 
and residence (2002), and the EU Council framework decision 
on the strengthening of the penal framework  to prevent the 
facilitation of unauthorized entry, transit and residence. 
 
Following passage of the 2005 law, it became possible to 
pursue criminal cases for recruiting, transporting, 
transiting, providing shelter, and passing on the control 
over persons for the purpose of prostitution, child 
pornography, exploitation of mendacity, economic 
exploitation, organ transplant or forced commitment of 
crimes. This law made it easier for the authorities to arrest 
slumlords, and combat forced begging.  Moreover, the new 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  003 OF 009 
 
 
legislation applied to both Belgian and foreign perpetrators, 
and it made possible to pursue domestic trafficking cases. 
It set a distinct definition for smuggling vs. trafficking, 
and made it impossible to invoke consent of the victim as a 
defense against criminal charges.  Aggravating circumstances 
included committing fraud, threatening the life of the 
victims, involvement in a criminal organization, 
vulnerability of the victim (under age), use of violence, and 
causing severe harm to or death of the victim.  The 
authorities amended the 2005 law in 2006 by making it a crime 
to contract a fake marriage, receive compensation for 
arranging a fake marriage, or inciting others to do so. 
 
The September 15, 2006, law permitted trafficking victims who 
opted to collaborate with the authorities the ability to 
obtain legal guarantees to remain in Belgium.  The 
legislation came into force June 1, 2007. 
 
On February 1, 2007 the Justice Minister issued a new 
directive on investigating and prosecuting trafficking cases. 
 The directive better defined economic exploitation, and it 
contained a detailed list of trafficking indicators.  It 
outlined coordination by the prosecuting magistrates, and 
listed cases that have to be prioritized (young victims, 
human dignity, use of force, or organized nature of the 
crime).  The directive also contained provisos on how police 
forces have to conduct investigations, and it emphasized the 
need to direct victims to specialized shelters. 
 
-- B. and C.  Persons convicted of violating anti-trafficking 
legislation are subject to one to five years of imprisonment 
and are fined between 2,750 Euros ($3,575) and 275,000 Euros 
($357,500). For repeat offenders, those convicted for 
offences of an organized nature, or other aggravating 
circumstances, the punishment increases from 10 to 15 years 
imprisonment along with fines up to 550,000 euro.  If the 
offenders belong to a criminal organization, or if the 
trafficking results in manslaughter, the punishment is 15 to 
20 years imprisonment and a fine ranging from 5,000 euro 
($6,500) to 825,000 euro ($1,072,500).  Persons convicted of 
trafficking for economic exploitation are subject to one to 
five years imprisonment and are fined between 2,750 euro 
($3,575) and 275,000 euro ($357,500). The law specifies that 
Belgian nationals can also be the victim of economic 
exploitation.  The law defines economic exploitation as 
employment in circumstances that that violate the employee's 
human dignity.  Belgium is using a much broader definition 
than the European Framework decision.  The use of force or 
exploitation of vulnerability is not a requirement to an 
determination of exploitation.  Employers or labor agents who 
confiscate workers' passports or travel documents for the 
purpose of trafficking or switch contracts without the 
worker's consent violate the law.  Moreover, wage, hours, and 
working conditions that do not meet the standards of the 
prevailing labor legislation and collective bargaining 
agreements is exploitation of labor under Belgian law. 
 
-- D. Penalties for rape and forcible sexual assault are 
rather similar, and range from five years up to 30 years 
imprisonment, if the crime results in the death of the victim. 
 
-- E. (2008 LAW ENFORCEMENT STATISTICS WILL BE AVAILABLE AT A 
LATER DATE.) The courts systematically prosecute trafficking 
cases under the prevailing legislation as detailed under A., 
B., and C. Investigation of ad prosecution of trafficking is 
done according to a Justice Minister's directive which came 
into force on February 1, 2007.  The directive provides 
police and magistrates a list of indicators to identify 
victims.  The Federal Police handled 609 sexual exploitation 
cases and 220 economic exploitation cases in 2007, compared 
to 642 and 183 cases the previous year.  The Federal Police 
handled 375 child prostitution and sex tourism cases, 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  004 OF 009 
 
 
compared to 197 in 2006. 
 
In January 2009, the police arrested three persons in 
connection with exploitation of girls coming from Brazil, 
Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Russia.  The Police in 
November 2008 arrested a Turkish national and his Bulgarian 
female partner who were 
exploiting and extorting Bulgarian workers on a chicken farm. 
 The Police arrested on October 13, 2008 a physician who 
performed an abortion on a trafficking victim.  In October 
2008 three persons were arrested who were operating a 
prostitution ring active in Belgium, the Netherlands, 
Germany, and Spain.  The victims were mainly Nigerian girls. 
In June 2008 five persons were arrested who were involved in 
sexual exploitation and the drug trade.  On July 1, 2008, the 
labor court magistrate's office conducted a search at 
Brussels' leading Conrad hotel where a sheikha and her 
relatives from the United Arab Emirates were illegally 
exploitation 17 servants.  Eleven of the servants opted to 
collaborate with the judicial authorities.  Eight family 
members were charged with human trafficking.  The sheikha and 
her relatives left the country and the investigation was 
still ongoing at the completion of this report. 
 
In January 2009, the Brussels first instance court handed 
down four years imprisonment and a 22,000 euro ($28,600) fine 
to a Bulgarian member of a trafficking ring.  Some of the 
victims applied for trafficking victim status.  On January 
26, 2009 the Antwerp district court convicted a lawyer to 
five years imprisonment and a 5,000 euro ($6,500) fine for 
raping an under aged girl and trafficking her from Morocco to 
Belgium.  On December 17, 2008, the Ghent Appellate Court 
handed down three and four years prison sentences to two 
Chinese nationals for economic exploitation and trafficking. 
The court confiscated assets to the tune of 750,000 euro 
($975,000).  The victims were exploited by restaurants and 
were forced to work six days a week and 12 hours days. The 
judge also ruled that their housing conditions were inhumane. 
 The victims successfully applied for trafficking victim 
status.  In November 2008 the Ieper Chamber 
of Indictment ruled that 32 people would stand trial on 
smuggling and trafficking charges as members of a criminal 
organization specialized in arranging fake marriages for 
Indian and Pakistani men who were seeking to obtain permanent 
residence in Belgium. On November 26, 2008, the Antwerp Court 
of Assizes convicted six Iraqi nationals to prison sentences 
ranging from 3 to 25 years imprisonment for having taken 
hostage and tortured two Indian, nationals in order to obtain 
a ransom for smuggling the two to the United Kingdom. 
Defense lawyers argued that both defendants and plaintiffs 
were members of rivaling trafficking rings. 
 
In rendering verdicts in economic exploitation cases the 
courts take into account such elements as the  confiscation 
of passports, travel documents, pay, employment and housing 
conditions, the use of physical force, and sexual abuse. 
 
-- F. The Justice Minister and the Board of Prosecutors 
General determine on prosecution priorities.  Training on 
recognizing trafficked persons is well established in law 
enforcement agencies and procedures for dealing with 
trafficking cases are well known. The Justice Ministry and 
the Justice High Council organized special training for 
magistrates.  The Foreign Ministry provided training for 
diplomats and the Federal police for its federal and local 
forces dealing with trafficking.  In 2007 the Justice 
Ministry issued a directive for helping magistrates and 
police forces in detecting and prosecuting trafficking cases. 
 In September 2008 the Interior, Justice, Employment, Foreign 
Affairs, Social Welfare and Finance ministries jointly issued 
a directive on coordinating aid to trafficking victims. The 
directive covered how to identify victims, what action has to 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  005 OF 009 
 
 
be taken by the authorities and agencies dealing with 
trafficking, how victims have to be directed to shelters and 
administrative steps to be taken for the victims. 
 
-- G. Belgium collaborates regularly with the International 
Organization for Migration (IOM, the United Nations and the 
Council of Europe).  Belgium cooperates within the Schengen 
countries framework to combat visa fraud.  Belgium has 
supported a preventive program for the Great Lakes Region of 
Africa sponsored by UNICEF. It has contributed to preventive 
OSCE and OIM programs in Georgia. It has contributed to 
UNFPA, UNICEF and OHCHR programs for the prevention of 
violence against women and children in the Democratic 
Republic of Congo (DCR).  It has also contributed to an 
UNICEF program for combating the child trade in Western 
Africa. 
 
-- H. Belgians and foreign nationals can be extradited under 
the European arrest warrant.  The Belgian Parliament has 
adopted this European framework decision.  Belgian has some 
50 extradition treaties in force with other countries. 
Moreover, the Federal Police exchange information with 
Europol and Interpol, and countries with which Belgian has 
bilateral or multilateral cooperation agreements.  The 
Federal Prosecutor acts as Belgium's contact with Eurojust. 
Belgium frequently sends rogatory commissions to foreign 
countries, and it has obtained the extradition of suspects to 
Belgium.  According to the CEOCR, Belgian law enforcement 
encounters difficulties in obtaining cooperation from 
Bulgaria, a new EU member state.  No trafficking offenders 
were extradited to the United States. 
 
-- I. and J. There is no evidence of government involvement 
in or tolerance of trafficking. 
 
-- K.  Prostitution as such is not a criminal act, but 
organizing prostitution and forcing people to prostitute 
themselves are criminal offences.  Prostitution under the age 
of 18 is always considered coercion or abuse of trust under 
the law, and sentenced accordingly.  The law of November 2000 
has reinforced protection of minors with regard to 
trafficking, prostitution and pornography. The Federal Police 
in 2006 registered 3,504 cases of sexual assault and rape 
involving minors, compared to 3,411 such cases in 2005. The 
Federal Police registered 310 child prostitutions cases in 
2006, compared to 354 the previous year. Child prostitution 
cases on the internet can be reported to the police through 
www.ecops.be.  The Justice Ministry registered 39 convictions 
in child prostitution cases in 2007, compared to 24 the 
previous year. Prostitution in bars is diminishing, while 
prostitution in massage parlors and through escort services 
is increasing. There is a significant increase of people 
prostituting themselves through the internet. Law enforcement 
agencies encounter great difficulties monitoring this form of 
prostitution.  Several cities and towns have taken measures 
to curtail prostitution.  Following the example of Brussels 
and Antwerp, in September 2008, the Liege city government 
closed 51 brothels, limiting prostitution to a few registered 
bars.  On January 6, 2009, a Brussels judge handed down a 
four-year imprisonment sentence and a 22,000 euro ($28,600) 
fine to a Bulgarian national for pimping and trafficking. 
 
-- L.  There were no reports of Belgian troops contributing 
to international peacekeeping missions becoming involved in 
trafficking. 
 
 -- M. The Belgian authorities identify sex tourism and child 
pornography as a serious problem and specific legislation for 
combating these criminal acts has been adopted by the 
lawmakers. In 2000 and again in 2008 the Belgian Parliament 
adopted constitutional proviso on children's rights 
guaranteeing respect for moral, physical and sexual integrity 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  006 OF 009 
 
 
of children.  In 2005 the lawmakers amended the 1995 act on 
combating human trafficking and child pornography.  New 
provisions were added to the criminal code enhancing the 
protection of minors, particularly with regard to 
trafficking, prostitution and pornography. 
 
In 2007 the Federal Police handled 375 child pornography and 
sex tourism cases, up from the 197 handled in 2006.  The 
federal Police in 2006 arrested a Belgian national who 
sexually abused his two daughters, and prostituted his 
daughters.  An Italian national videotaed the violations and 
sold the tapes via the nternet.  In total 35 children were 
abused, ad worldwide 2,500 internet clients were identifed. 
 
¶26.  (SBU) PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VCTIMS: 
 
-- A. In 2006, Parliament enacted  complete overhaul of the 
1980 Immigration Act, bringing Belgian legislation in line 
with prevailing EU directives, such as the EU Directive 
2004/81 on awarding residence to trafficking victims who opt 
to operate with the authorities.  As a result, the prevailing 
Belgian protections system is now supported by law, and has 
been extended to certain categories of smuggling victims 
including unaccompanied minors, the vulnerable, the deceived, 
and the ill.  The law covers nationals from outside and from 
within the European Union.  Denial of victim status can be 
appealed through a special judicial college. 
 
Victims have 45 days to decide what to do and can qualify for 
a renewable 3-month residence permit or a 6-month permit, 
depending on the state of the judicial investigation. In 
order to qualify for an extension, the victims have to break 
all links with the alleged perpetrators and collaborate in 
the investigation.  The prosecutor must establish whether the 
person is a trafficking victims or a victims of a serious 
form of smuggling.  Victims can eventually obtain permanent 
residence after the traffickers are sentenced or if the 
prosecutor files a trafficking case. Victims can file for 
damages. 
 
On September 26, 2008 the government and the College of 
Prosecutors General issued a directive on multidisciplinary 
cooperation to deal with trafficking victims.  The directive 
contains detailed guidelines on how the federal police, the 
social security and labor inspection services, the 
Immigration Office, the shelters and the magistrates must 
cooperate in locating victims and providing them with 
appropriate assistance so that they know how , including 
explaining the possibility of qualifying for victim 
protection and how to do so. 
 
-- B. The Federal and regional governments fund three 
officially recognized shelters for victims: one in Brussels, 
one in Antwerp, and the third in Liege.  These centers 
provide medical, psychological, administrative, assimilation, 
social, and judicial assistance.  The shelters cater almost 
exclusively to foreign victims.  Child victims enjoy the same 
rights and can also qualify for victim protection.  Children 
have three months to decide and are immediately registered. 
If a child fails to qualify under trafficking protection 
legislation, he or she would still qualify for protection 
granted under the rules for unaccompanied minors illegally 
staying in Belgium.  If the child is presumed to be a 
trafficking victim he or she is directed to one of the 
specialized centers operated by the regional governments. 
The government covers their education and medical expenses. 
 
-- C. The government-sponsored shelters provide trafficking 
victims with access to legal, medical and psychological 
services.  Judicial assistance is provided by the shelters in 
collaboration with the police and magistrates. 
Administrative assistance is provided in conjunction with the 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  007 OF 009 
 
 
Immigration Office.  Victims can either stay in safe houses 
operated by the shelters or opt for an individual dwelling. 
The shelters also provide psychological aid.  The shelters 
are sponsored at the federal and regional level of 
government.  Funding consists of direct subsidies and wages 
of collaborators paid by the authorities. 
 
-- D.  The September 2008 directive tasks the police, the 
social security and labor inspection services, the 
Immigration Office, and the Commissariat for refugees and 
Stateless persons with informing potential victims of their 
rights, and with directing them to shelters if they wish to 
apply for trafficking victim status. Depending on the legal 
proceedings, victims may qualify for temporary and permanent 
residence. 
 
-- E. Victims qualify for housing, administrative, legal and 
psychological aid. 
 
-- F. Law enforcement agencies systematically refer victims 
to shelters, even if the victim fails to identify himself as 
a victim. Most victims are sent to the shelters through the 
federal and local police forces. 
 
-- G.  In 2008 the three shelters provided assistance to 495 
victims, compared to 438 the previous year.  Of the total 
number of 475 for 2008, 202 were new victims.  The three 
shelters noted a significant increase in victims of economic 
exploitation in 2008, to the extent that economic victims 
outnumbered the victims of sexual exploitation referred to 
the shelters.  The three shelters also registered a growing 
number of male victims.  Most victims assisted by the 
shelters came from China, Bulgaria, Romania, Brazil, India, 
Nigeria, and Morocco.  In 2007, 62 victims received full 
victim status.    The most common reason for not achieving 
victim status is the lack of evidence to substantiate the 
claim of trafficking. 
 
-- H. The procedure for proactively identifying victims is 
contained in the September 2008 directive issued by the 
government and the college of prosecutors-general. 
Employment conditions that are not compatible with the 
prevailing Belgian standard are sufficient grounds to qualify 
as a victim of trafficking.  If a victim is identified by the 
police or inspection services, they must inform the 
prosecutor of the judicial district, the Immigration Office 
and one of the shelters. 
 
-- I. Victims are not fined, detained, jailed or deported. 
The average stay in the shelters is between one and six 
months. 
 
-- J. The system is designed to obtain cooperation from the 
victims. Victims are encouraged to collaborate with the law 
enforcement agencies during the judicial investigation, but 
also by starting litigation against the offenders.  The 
shelters have the authority to file a lawsuit in their own 
name or in the name of the victim. When the victim is a 
material witness in a court case against a former employers, 
the victim is permitted to seek other employment. Victims can 
seek restitution. 
 
-- K. Training to recognize trafficked persons is well 
established in law enforcement agencies, and procedures for 
dealing with trafficking cases are well known.  The Foreign 
Ministry provided training for its diplomats posted in origin 
countries. 
 
-- L. There were no nationals among the victims who needed to 
be repatriated. 
 
-- M. Belgium collaborates regularly with the International 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  008 OF 009 
 
 
Organization for Migration (IOM), of which it is a founding 
member, the United Nations and the Council of Europe. 
Belgium had participated in a multinational IOM project on 
the training of border guards for assisting victims of 
trafficking. In July 2007 it organized the first Global Forum 
on Migration and Development. The Foreign Ministry in 
Brussels has a department dealing with immigration and asylum 
issues, and the department is headed by an ambassador. 
Victims of trafficking have the possibility of free 
reintegration to their home country within the framework of 
the REAB program (Return and Emigration of Asylum seekers ex. 
Belgium).  Two special funds have provided financial 
incentives to facilitate reintegration and return to home 
countries.  The King Baudouin Foundation sponsors projects 
for the reintegration of trafficking victims in their home 
countries, Balkan countries in particular. 
 
¶27. (SBU) PREVENTION 
 
-- A. The government acknowledges that trafficking is a 
problem in the country and fighting trafficking is one of the 
priorities of the government's 2008-2011 National Security 
Plan. "Stop Child Prostitution" is an ongoing nationwide 
campaign sponsored by Child Focus, the Federal Police, the 
Defense and Foreign Affairs ministry, TAGS:BE the Federation 
of Transportation Enterprises, Belgian Rail, ECPAT and FIT. 
Belgium is also providing financial support to prevention 
campaigns organizd by UNICEF,the OSCE, OIM, FNUAP and 
OHCHR. The King Baudouin Foundation has conducted information 
campaigns regarding the situation of diplomatic household 
personnel. The CEOCR and the tree shelters on October 18, 
2008, participated in the European Anti-Trafficking Day. The 
prosecuting office of the Liege judicial district acts as 
contact point for the press. 
 
-- B. The monitoring of immigration and emigration patterns 
is conducted by the Information and Analysis Center on Human 
Trafficking and Smuggling (IAMM), and by the CEOCR. 
 
-- C. IAMM also is in charge of coordination and 
communication between the various minitries and law 
enforcement agencies. 
 
-- D. In 2008 the government issued a 50-page Trafficking in 
Persons action plan.  The plan was developed with all the 
ministries and agencies involved in combating trafficking. 
 
-- E. Measures to rein in prostitution come under the 
jurisdiction of local governments. 
 
-- F. "Stop Child Prostitution" is an ongoing program, and 
each year the authorities focus on a particular aspect, for 
example, on reporting cases of child prostitution. The 
prevention campaigns are organized by Child Focus, ECPAT, the 
National Lottery, Belgian Rail, Brussels Airlines, The 
Foreign Affairs Ministry, the Defense ministry, Foster Plan, 
tourism academies, and road transportation organizations. 
During summer 2008 awareness campaigns were organized at 
railway stations and airports.  The Flemish regional minister 
in charge of tourism reached an agreement with travel 
agencies on a code of conduct, specifically aimed at 
combating trafficking and child prostitution. 
 
-- G.  The Defense Ministry authorities in cooperation with 
the three victims' shelters provide information and organize 
awareness drives for all Belgian troops.  Troops deployed in 
peacekeeping missions receive specific training on how to 
detect trafficking. Standard procedures have been developed 
so that troops deployed outside of Belgium are capable of 
spotting incidents of trafficking.  There is a standard 
procedure for reporting such incidents to commanding officers. 
 
 
BRUSSELS 00000244  009 OF 009 
 
 
END TEXT OF REPORT. 
 
BUSH 
.