Impact case study database

Human trafficking, also known as modern slavery, is a serious threat to the physical, sexual, and psychological wellbeing of its victims. This has been recognised by the major efforts of successive UK governments to fight it. Specifically, Piotrowicz’s research on trafficking has had an impact in four areas:

1. In monitoring States’ compliance with their obligations under the Council of Europe Anti-Trafficking Convention;

2. In informing state policy;

3. In embedding the principle of non-punishment of trafficked people in national legal systems; and

4. In providing training and guidelines for States on the legal issues surrounding human trafficking.

Combined, these represent a sustained and significant impact on policy and practice.

Monitoring state compliance – In 2012, Piotrowicz was elected to GRETA. In 2017, Piotrowicz was then elected Second Vice-President, and in 2019 he was elected First Vice-President [5.1]. In this executive role, and informed by his research, Piotrowicz helped to shape the agenda and decide priorities for GRETA’s work. His work has been recognised by the Executive Secretary of GRETA:

Prof. Piotrowicz has been a very active member of GRETA, both in its monitoring work and in contributing to the development of its policies. Both of these activities directly influence the actions of States in assisting trafficked people and prosecuting the perpetrators. [5.1]

International guidelines and European policy informed by Piotrowicz’s research is extensively referred to in GRETA country monitoring reports [5.2.a; 5.1]. Piotrowicz’s research for the UNHCR human trafficking Guidelines had a direct impact on how States help trafficking victims, and those at risk of being trafficked, and influenced the development of policy in this area. The Guidelines have been cited in court judgments [5.3; 5.4], and extensively in the country monitoring reports of GRETA from 2014 to 2020 [5.2.a; 5.2.b], with the objective of persuading States to implement their duty to protect trafficked persons, as well as in UNHCR training packages [5.5; 5.1].

Informing state policy - As a member of GRETA, Piotrowicz made nine country monitoring visits from 2014 to 2020 [5.2.a]. The recommendations adopted after these visits must be implemented by the country concerned to fulfil its anti-trafficking obligations. Accordingly, his country-monitoring work, using expertise learned from his research in this area, directly impacted on States’ anti-trafficking laws and policies [5.2.a]. Additionally, the UNHCR human trafficking Guidelines have been cited in court judgments in the UK [5.3.a-d] and Advisory Opinions of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2014 [5.4].

Embedding the principle of non-punishment - Piotrowicz’s report for the Special Coordinator for Anti-Trafficking of the OSCE on the non-punishment of victims of trafficking was cited in guidance for States published by the United Nations (UN) on 15 June 2020 [5.6], in policy statements by the UN Special Rapporteur on Trafficking in Human Beings in April and June 2020 [5.7.a; 5.7.b], by the UK government on 21 March 2016 [5.8.a], and by the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) in 2016 and 2018 [5.8.b.i; 5.8.b.ii].

Piotrowicz’s work for the OSCE in developing the policy of non-punishment of trafficked persons was also extensively referenced in GRETA’s country reports between 2015 and 2020 [5.2.a]. All GRETA country reports between 2015 and 2020 refer to the OSCE policy of non-punishment of trafficked persons [5.1] as guidance for States. For the Head of International Migration Law at the International Organization for Migration, Piotrowicz’s work:

has contributed to the evolution of this principle and its wider acceptance in national legal systems. I constantly refer to his work in my activities both research and advocacy related and can for certain attest to the impact his work has had in this field. [5.9]

Providing training and guidelines for States on the legal issues surrounding human trafficking - The UNHCR trafficking Guidelines were cited by the UK government in 2016 [5.8.a], and by the UN Inter-Agency Coordination Group against Trafficking in Persons (ICAT) in 2016 and 2018 [5.8.b.i; 5.8.b.ii]. They have also been used in UNHCR training packages on human trafficking [5.5]. Piotrowicz also devised training programmes in migration law across Europe, organised by the Council of Europe, International Organization for Migration (IOM), and the European Union, for personnel working in anti-trafficking roles, such as immigration officials and non-governmental organisations [5.1]. The Head of International Migration Law at IOM highlights that participants confirm that the training increases their ‘understanding and awareness of the legal complexities of human trafficking’ [5.9], which is reflected in their work.

Piotrowicz was appointed adviser to the Government of Romania on an international project aimed at preventing trafficking of people for forced begging. The appointment was made after open competition, based on his research and experience in the area. His work led to the publication of a handbook [3.1] for police and judicial authorities on dealing with trafficking for forced begging, published in English, French, German and Romanian.

In conclusion, Piotrowicz’s work has significantly informed policy on human trafficking in Europe, globally and in individual countries. The UK Home Office’s Deputy Director of Modern Slavery confirms that Piotrowicz’s ‘contribution and continued commitment in this field [modern slavery and human trafficking] has been hugely valuable’ [5.10].