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UK makes migration and trafficking a priority for EU presidency¹

The United Kingdom's priorities for the European Union presidency include developing an Action Plan on people trafficking (available from the UK Presidency of the EU http://www.eu2005.gov.uk) and working for greater EU-wide police co-operation. It also wants to focus on managing migration into the EU through stronger links with the main source countries worldwide and strengthening the EU's borders.

The UK's thinking on migration is outlined in detail in the Home Office's latest consultation paper on managed migration: "Selective Admission: Making migration work for Britain" http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/ind/en/home/laws___policy/consultation_documents/
current_consultations.html. The consultation period is open until 7 November 2005.

An Early Day Motion (EDM No. 452) has been tabled in the UK Parliament by Sandra Gidley MP, John Bercow MP and Chris McAfferty MP calling on the UK Government to "sign and ratify the new Council of Europe Convention Against Trafficking, which is specifically aimed at protecting trafficked people's rights, and for the UK to use its presidency of the EU to encourage other member states to do the same." The EDM has been signed by 52 MPs to date and Anti-Slavery International urges all organisations and individuals in the UK to write to their MPs and urge them to support this EDM.

You can view the full text and which MPs have already signed: http://edmi.parliament.uk/EDMi/EDMDetails.aspx?EDMID=28669.