The final Steering Committee meeting and conference of the Horizontal Facility action “Preventing and combating trafficking in human beings” took place in Skopje on 16 April 2019. The current phase of the action, which has been implemented since October 2016 will come to an end in May 2019 and the meeting was a good opportunity to reflect on results achieved, discuss challenges and provide an outlook on possible future steps and co-operation.

The meeting gathered representatives of the beneficiary institutions directly involved in the implementation of this action, such as the representatives of the National Commission for Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings and Illegal Migration, Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, Ministry of Interior, State Inspectorate of Labour as well as the civil society organisations Open Gate/La Strada and For Happy Childhood. In addition, the representative of the European Union Delegation, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development and other national institutions, civil society organisations and local experts who contributed to the successful implementation of the project were present. The State Advisor of the Ministry for Labour and Social Policy, a member of the National Anti-Trafficking Commission and the Horizontal Facility project team thanked the beneficiaries for their commitment and their co-operation in the implementation of the action.

"The beneficiaries seem all set to bring the fight against human trafficking and protection of victims in North Macedonia to the next level", said Jan van Dijk, a former Vice-President of the Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings, which is the Council of Europe expert body that monitors the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings by the state parties.

The action is a part of the joint programme “Horizontal Facility for Western Balkans and Turkey”, which is a co-operation initiative co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.