​Between 13 and 17 April 2015, the MEPA expert seminar on “human trafficking, sexual exploitation – prostitution“ was organised by the Hungarian NCP in the Centre for International Further Training of the Hungarian Ministry of the Interior in Budapest.

All in all, 32 police practitioners from the MEPA member states of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Croatia as invited country participated in this seminar which was intended for police officers dealing with the fighting of international human trafficking in their daily work.

The seminar was primarily aimed at updating the participants’ knowledge and know-how in the field of human trafficking crimes.

The participants and lecturers gave presentations on the present situation, on major problems and tendencies of prostitution as a society phenomenon, particularly also on findings concerning victimization as well as the way of how victims are chosen and on the activities of the police and related authorities as well as NGOs and about cooperation opportunities between these authorities in connection with prostitution.

Many of the colleagues profited from the occasion for an intensive exchange of views among experts and of experience. The presentations given by the lecturers and seminar participants were of high quality.

The evaluation at the end of this further training activity revealed that thanks to the varied and interesting programme the participants could intensify their expert knowledge, gather new experiences and knowledge and could establish new contacts with expert authorities. Within MEPA this seminar should therefore remain a fixed element of future activities.