The Council of Ministers approved, for preliminary examination, a legislative decree to implement Directive (EU) 2024/1712 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024, amending Directive 2011/36/EU on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting victims.
The measure strengthens the system to combat trafficking by adapting the criminal sanctions framework to new and emerging forms of exploitation. Specifically, the Criminal Code was amended to include in Articles 600 and 601 the crimes of exploitation of surrogacy, illegal adoption and forced marriage. The text takes into account the evolution of criminal means, including explicit reference to the use of digital technologies and artificial intelligence in both recruitment and the dissemination of material relating to exploitation.
For victim protection, the principle of non-punishability for crimes committed under duress were introduced. Furthermore, the rules on the administrative liability of entities (Legislative Decree No 231 of 8 June 2001) are integrated, providing for pecuniary sanctions ranging from EUR 100-600 and disqualification sanctions for a period of no less than 6 months for legal entities involved in the new trafficking crimes.
- Ministry of Labour and Social Policies | Ministero del Lavoro e delle Politiche Sociali (11 March, 2026), Nuove norme contro la tratta di esseri umani e per la tutela delle vittime [New rules against human trafficking and for the protection of victims],