3071-The political economy of new slavery

4
The Belgian Counter-trafficking
Policy
Arne Dormaels, Bruno Moens and Nele Praet
Introduction
In Belgium the phenomenon of trafficking in persons was thrust into
the limelight in 1992, following the publication of a series of articles
and a book by Knack journalist Chris De Stoop, who traced the international
mechanisms of trafficking into Belgium and exposed the
exploitation of the victims. In reaction, the House of Representatives
adopted a bill for the purpose of setting up a parliamentary fact-finding
committee with the task of drafting a structural policy to suppress international
trafficking in women. The work of the fact-finding committee
resulted, among other things, in the Act of 13 April 1995, which includes
provisions for combating traffic in persons and child pornography.
Another significant turning point was the introduction of the federal
government’s action plan for security policy of 31 May 2000 in which
further attention was given to the phenomenon in view of a more
structural policy. 1
We can, therefore, distinguish two different eras. The first period runs
from 1994 until mid-2000 and is characterized by an endeavour to
establish a prolonged and integrated counter-trafficking policy. This
period is substantially inspired by the recommendations made by the
Parliamentary Investigation Committee. The second period is post-2000,
following the federal government’s action plan for security policy. This
action plan forms one part of an ambitious and coherent project aimed
at restoring the trust of the citizens in the Belgian government.
In both epochs an integrated and multidisciplinary approach – the
so-called Belgian four-pillar approach – can be observed. The only
difference is that with the setting up of the governmental action plan,
as a result of the Coalition Agreement of 7 July 1999, 2 the phenomenon
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