¾ Victims of trafficking in human beings (Belgium, Greece, Portugal, Sweden)
¾ Family Reunification (Finland, Malta, Slovak Republic, Slovenia)
In addition, data on checks made on unaccompanied minors in the Eurodac system were reported by Sweden. In 2008, a total of 1 135 were made, primarily on unaccompanied minors who were nationals of Iraq (417), Afghanistan (315) and Somalia (273). Of this total, 187 were female, with the majority being males aged 16 – 17 years (619).
9.5.1 Refusals of Entry
A high proportion of unaccompanied minors are refused entry to France. For example, of the total number of unaccompanied minors who arrived at the border, almost 1/3 were sent back to their country of origin in 2007 and 2008: 270 out of 852, i.e. 31.7% in 2007, and 353 out of 1 108, i.e. 31.9% in 2008.
Refusals of entry of unaccompanied minors at the borders of Portugal decreased from a peak in 2002, when there were 208 refusals, to 79 refusals in 2003, 50 in 2004, 40 each in 2005 and 2006, 70 in 2007 and 64 in 2008. From 2006 onwards, information on the country of origin of the unaccompanied minors refused entry are recorded, showing that the vast majority were from Brazil (27 in 2006, 62 in 2007 and 54 in 2008), primarily arriving at the border post at Lisbon Airport.
9.5.2 Apprehensions, including at the border
Out of the approximately 30 000 apprehensions in Belgium in a 12-month period in 2007- 2008, 8.5% were unaccompanied minors, who were often apprehended multiple times (e.g. 8 times or more) and often criminal offences had been committed. Such multiple apprehensions were predominantly unaccompanied minors coming from Romania and Serbia. Noting the inherent inaccuracies in data on apprehensions because of, for example, multiple
apprehensions not being distinguished, data from the police authorities indicates that in 2006 there were a total of 521 apprehensions (167 of which were nationals of Romania, 59 of Serbia-Montenegro, 46 of Algeria, and 33 of Iraq). There was then a significant increase in 2007 to a total of 1 440 apprehensions (236 of which were nationals of Serbia-Montenegro, 125 of India, 101 of Bosnia-Herzegovina, 127 of Algeria and 95 of Croatia), increasing still further in 2008 to 2 122 apprehensions (398 of which were nationals of India, 293 of Romania, 286 of Serbia, 207 of Algeria and 165 of Morocco).
The number of unaccompanied minors under the age of 16 years apprehended while entering Germany in 2004 was 118, of which 48 then declared their desire to lodge an application for asylum. Corresponding figures for 2005 were 136 (26), for 2006 it was 76 (18), for 2007 it was 143 (25) and for 2008 it was 174 (67). In terms of country of origin, in 2007 and 2008, Afghanistan was the most frequent country (41 in 2007 and 79 in 2008), whilst in 2004 to 2006 it was Turkey (32 in 2004, 41 in 2005 and 17 in 2006). Over the period 2003 to 2008, other important countries of origin were Russia, Vietnam, Serbia (and Montenegro) and – with reservations – Nigeria. Unaccompanied minors from Iraq did not make their appearance in significant numbers until 2008 (11). Data on the decisions taken upon entry are also provided. With regard to unaccompanied minors who entered illegally and were then subsequently apprehended, the data are less extensive. The sole indications (arising from an answer to a parliamentary enquiry in 2006) are that, between 1st October 2005 and 30th June 2006, a total of 75 unaccompanied minors were detected inside Germany. Of these, 41 were under the age of 16, 34 were aged 16 or 17 years, 16 were girls and 59 were boys.
Data on apprehensions of minors are available in Greece for 2007 (plus forced returns) and for 2008. For 2007, a total of 6 031 apprehensions were made, out of which 1 153 forced returns were made. The most significant nationalities were Afghanistan (2 502 with no removals), Albania (1 515 with 1 093 removals), Somalia (1 017 with no removals) and Iraq (591 with 9 removals). Corresponding data in 2008 had 8 298 apprehensions, with the same most significant nationalities, i.e. Afghanistan (4 062) followed by Albania (1 859), Somalia (1 155) and Iraq (691).
Available data on apprehensions from the Slovak Republic contain the number and nationality of unaccompanied minors who entered illegally and are illegally residing. In 2006, 42 unaccompanied minors were identified, the most common country of origin being India
(30). In 2007, the number was 165, most of whom came from Moldova (62), Pakistan (51), India (15) and Bangladesh (13) and in 2008, it was 151, the majority of whom, again, came from Moldova (101) followed this time by Afghanistan (21). In terms of Age and Gender breakdown, for 2007, 158 were male and 7 were female with most (134) aged 16 years or over. The corresponding figures for 2008 had 148 males and 3 females, with again most (110) aged 16 years or over.
9.5.3 Victims of Trafficking in Human Beings
Data available in Belgium on unaccompanied minors who were victims of trafficking is based on those who have initiated the procedure "victims of human trafficking." In 2004, there were 22 such unaccompanied minors, 7 in 2005, 16 in 2006, 9 in 2007 and 6 in 2008. In terms of nationality of the unaccompanied minors, in 2006 the most significant were of Morocco (4), Iran (3) and Burundi (2), whilst in 2007 it was Brazil (5). These numbers are considered to be relatively low, in part owing to difficulties in meeting the necessary conditions to be recognised as a victim.
Over the period 2002 to 2008, Greece granted residence permits on humanitarian grounds and for the protection of victims of trafficking to a total of 258 unaccompanied minors, with the most significant nationality being, by far, Albania (201), followed by Georgia (22).
According to information obtained from the Observatory for Human Trafficking113 in Portugal, nine victims of the crime of human trafficking were detected in 2008, aged between 10 and 20 years. The majority of these cases concerned sexual exploitation and there is no detailed information about the origins of the minors and whether they were accompanied or not.
Underage victims of trafficking operations in Sweden have been between the ages of 12 and 18 years. An increase in the number of minors forced to engage in begging, slave labour and prostitution was recorded in 2005 and 2006. Preliminary investigations have indicated that the victims are minors from South-Eastern Europe exploited for the purposes of robbery and begging. Confirmed information exists which shows that some of these victims were girls who have been exploited for purposes of robbery in several towns in Sweden, as well as other
113 See http://www.otsh.mai.gov.pt/.
countries in Europe. The offenders are suspected of having purchased or rented the minors from poor parents in order to travel around Europe with them with the intention of exploiting them for purposes of robbery.
9.5.4 Family Reunification
Between 2003 and 2009, the Finnish Immigration Service in Finland received a total of 229 applications for family reunification submitted by minors. In 2008, a record year for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum, the number of applications was 46, involving one to thirteen family members. A positive decision on an application for family reunification submitted by a minor is estimated to be issued on 80-85% of applications. In 2007, the average processing time for applications for family reunification submitted by minors was 114 days.
Since 2007, there have been three cases of family reunification in Malta, with none prior to this. The reunifications concerned males of unknown age, two of whom were nationals of Somalia.
According to the statistics of the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family in the Slovak Republic, family reunifications took place in the years 2007 and 2008. The reunification of a family with a 17 year old male unaccompanied minor from Sri Lanka was carried out in 2008 and the reunifications of four unaccompanied minors originally from the Ukraine (two 16 year old and two 17 year old boys) took place in 2007.
Over the period 2004 to 2008, the Aliens' Centre in Slovenia launched five procedures of family reunification, all of which were successfully concluded. In addition, in 2007 and 2008, the Integration Division - Refugee and Foreigner Integration Section, International Protection Division launched two procedures of family reunification, both were so called
“Dublin cases” and both were concluded successfully.