The European Public Law Organization (EPLO) organized a Joint Training and Training of Trainers on "Trafficking in Human Beings and Migrant Smuggling" at its Headquarters in Athens from 7 to 10 July 2026, within the framework of the EuroMed Justice Project (EMJ) of the European Union Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation (EUROJUST).
The training brought together 26 senior Judges and Public Prosecutors from 14 different countries of the Southern Mediterranean and European Union Member States, in particular: Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Tunisia, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, Malta, Netherlands and Portugal.
The program aimed to strengthen the capacity of the participating Judges and Prosecutors to effectively investigate, prosecute and adjudicate cases related to trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling, and to enhance international judicial cooperation among countries of the Southern Mediterranean and the European Union in combating such crimes.
During the training, the practitioners discussed recent trends and issues in trafficking of human beings (THB) and migrant smuggling (MS), which have become increasingly important in the Mediterranean region. The participants addressed topics such as the role of technology and cybercrime in committing THB and MS crimes, the use of special investigative techniques in managing complex international investigations, the increasing significance of electronic evidence, cross-border asset seizure and confiscation, and tools and mechanisms for international cooperation. The training combined interactive presentations by international experts with real-life case studies, simulations and exercises.
The program also pursued the objective of strengthening the skills of selected participants, who serve as trainers in national training institutes in Southern Mediterranean countries, to design and deliver trainings to Judges and Prosecutors in the field of trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling. In this view, the final day and a half of the program was dedicated to advanced training methodologies and adult learning techniques focused on THB and MS.
The program is part of a series of trainings implemented by the EPLO and Fondazione SAFE for the EUROJUST Euromed Justice Project.
Further information on the EuroMed Justice Project is available here: https://euromedjustice.eu/
