"Forced labour: Commission urges EU countries to implement new ILO Protocol", 11 Sep 2014

The European Commission proposed to the EU's Council of Ministers EU Member States should be authorised to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) new Protocol to the Forced Labour Convention. The Protocol, together with a complementary Recommendation, was adopted by the 103rd session of the International Labour Conference in June (IP/14/669). Countries ratifying the ILO Protocol agree to prevent the use of forced labour, in particular in the context of trafficking in human beings, to improve the protection of victims, and to provide access to compensation. It also enhances international cooperation in the fight against forced or compulsory labour...The ILO estimates that over 21 million people worldwide are today victims of forced or compulsory labour, which generates US$ 150 billion in illegal profits per year.