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COATNET held its 5th Annual Users Meeting on 14-17 October 2008. Over 40 representatives of Christian organizations involved
in combating human trafficking in Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa and the USA met in Paris to exchange information on the
activities carried out over the last year and plan joint actions for 2009. This event, hosted by Caritas France, was preceded
with a one-day workshop aimed at increasing partners ' competence in addressing various legislative documents on human trafficking
and using them efficiently for advocacy.
In the framework of the meeting, COATNET joined forces with the French Collective Against Trafficking in Human Beings to organise
on 16th October an international symposium entitled: "Fighting trafficking in children: What is to be done in the European
Union?". Set up under the auspices of the French EU Presidency, the advocacy event took place at the Cour de Cassation, Palais
de Justice, on the occasion of the 2nd European Day Against Trafficking in Human Beings, and offered an opportunity for the
representatives of the clerical, political and civil society communities to provide recommendations for more effective fight
against trafficking in human beings, in particular, children and youth, and to contribute to the improvement of cooperation
between NGOs and governmental institutions in the area of combating human trafficking. By the end of the symposium, Commissioner
for Justice, Freedom and Security Jacques Barrot, presented the reactions of the European Commission to the debates. He welcomed
the suggestions from the civil society and underlined that the year 2009 will be an important period for the further development
of an EU policy framework in this area. A photo exhibition on related aspects in the different continents closed the day.
Programme of public event
Mr. Pierre Sargos, President of chamber, representative of the First President
Ms. Cecile Petit, the first Prosecuting Attorney, representative of the Public Prosecutor
Mr. M. Pierre Levene, General Secretary of Secours Catholique - Caritas France
Mgr. Olivier de Berranger, Bishop of Saint Denis, representative of the Cardinal Peter Erde, President of the Council of the
European Bishops Conferences (CCEE)
Mr. Jean Arnold De Clermont, President of the Conference of European Churches (CEC-KEK) (French) (English)
Ms. Edith Bauer, Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings - European Parliament
Ms. Helene Paillard, ECPAT, France (Presentation) (Word document)
Ms. Mugreiphy Shimray, Caritas India (Presentation) (Word document)
Mr. Henrick Sjolinder, Specialist of the fight against human trafficking at the Ministry of Justice of Sweden
Ms. Elena Timofficiuc, AIDRom - Romania
Mr. Victor Onyschuk, Vice-Minister of labour, Ukraine
Ms. Najla Chahda, Caritas Liban (English) (French)
Mr. Jacques Barrot, Vice-President of the European Commission, Commissioner, Responsible for Justice, Freedom and Security
at the European Commission
Mr. Francois Soulage, President of Secours Catholique
Mr.Erny Gillen, Vice -President of Caritas Internationalis, President of Caritas Europa in charge of coordination of Coatnet
Network
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