Explorative research on the risk of victimization at Brussels Airport - Belgium Tony Verachtert – Head of Federal judicial police, airport division Valesca Lippens – researcher Free University of Brussels Dr Ilse Derluyn – Ghent University The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

PART I: INTRODUCTION The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Over children 1500 unaccompanied minors 300 Brussels Airport They didn’t fall out of the sky … What happens to those who don’t get intercepted …. How can we better protect their safety… The true story …… The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone? Child Trafficking (4)

Saved from child traffickers …. But not for long... The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

2. Towards a research project Shared my concern with Child Focus Focus of the research: How can organised crime use or abuse the existing legal aviation procedures to traffic children by air??? Potential risk for minors to fall victim of traffickers Find loopholes in the current legislation and practice Complex – divers partners

4. Target group 1.Unaccompanied Minors: –Escort airline company obliged –5 to 12 yrs. –Extra, charged service –Visibility The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

2.Young Passengers: –Travel completely autonomously –> 12 yrs. –No registration of the age in reservation- or travel documents (“adults” from 12 yr) –Relatively invisible The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

3. Minors Third Party: –Accompanied by a third party (not the parent or legal guardian) –0 – 18 yrs. –Seemingly not travelling alone → relation with sponsor? –Relatively invisible De luchthaven, een veilige plek voor alleenreizende minderjarigen? The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

PART II: RESEARCH FINDINGS The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Minors 34% 36% 29% 1% Unaccompanied Young Passengers Minors Third Party Unknown Partition 3 categories (N=922) The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Partition age (N=922) The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Only for UM, no procedures for other categories Lack of uniform international, European and national regulations and legislation Exception: IATA –“recommended practices” –NGO: limited obligation 2. Brussels Airport The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Control identity sponsor: responsibility handling company? Use of diverse UM documents: diversity complicates the administrative procedures and regulations Parental authorisation: confusion on the field No sponsor present 2.1. Procedures for UM: loopholes The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

1.Authentic passport fraudulently obtained –Most frequent MO: sensitization of the communities 2.Imposter –Physical appearance not alike 3.Photo change –Less frequent 4.Inscription in passport – photo (un)necessary 2.4. Modus operandi false or falsified travel documents The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

PART III CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Conclusion Number Yearly more than Unaccompanied Minors (airline assistance) An important part of our population is unknown due to a lack of registration Recommendation Augmentation of the age for obliged assistance to 14 yrs. Introducing a uniform and obliged registration The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Conclusion Procedures Ad hoc problem solving Lack of regulations and legislation Recommendation Need of a more professional approach Need of uniform, written and obliged procedures The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Conclusions care Potential risk situations Interrogation minor Care and risk disappearance Role guardian Recommendation Need of a risk assessment Specialised training, confidant, interpreter, psychologist Use risk assessment: secured care Initial and permanent training The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

Conclusions policing Control identity sponsor Parental authorisation Modus operandi irregular entry on the territory Lack of intensive cooperation between different partners Preliminary detection impossible Problem Schengenzone Recommendation Official Border Control desk Document (inter)nationally obliged Personal travel documents obliged and sensitization about the use of fraudulently obtained documents A circular letter and cooperation protocols Passenger information required (age!) Intelligence led policing in Schengenzone The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

General conclusion Need of: –More coherent regulations and legislation –Harmonized procedures and practices Risk of victimization unacceptable Need of further research –Geographical –Focus –Federal judicial police: UM Unit –Implementation recommendations → task force The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone?

21 The airport, a safe haven for minors travelling alone? Summary of the report: French version of the report: aeroport_zaventem-fr-print.pdf Dutch version of the report: aeroport_zaventem-nl-print.pdf

Thank you for your attention … De luchthaven, een veilige plek voor alleenreizende minderjarigen?