11th Meeting of the OSCE Economic Forum

* Action to combat trafficking and the role of the business community: How can the negative economic effects of trafficking be kept out of legal business?
* Action to combat trafficking and the role of governments: What policy measures are needed to reduce the harmful effects of trafficking on economies and human security?
* Action to combat trafficking and the OSCE, the impact of its cross-dimensionality and the impact for the OSCE agenda.

Special sessions were devoted to the OSCE/UNEP/UNDP Environment and Security Initiative, and the new OSCE Strategy Document in the Economic and Environmental Dimension.

The suggestion was formally put forward by the Chairman-in-Office of the OSCE that a Special Representative for trafficking issues should be instituted in the framework of the OSCE.

The issues of trafficking in human beings, drugs, and small arms and light weapons, have been looked at from various perspectives. Progress with regard to government policies was addressed and it was pointed out that although much has already been done, much more remains to be done, for instance the signing and ratifying of the United Nations Convention against organized crime and its various Protocols. Many countries have done this, but other are still struggling with the technical and judicial issues. Efforts to have this minimum condition met should be stepped up. In terms of more detailed anti-trafficking legislation and policies, country-specific gaps and needs should be identified and addressed. Here, international co-operation, both region-wide and subregional, should be encouraged.