Public Opinion is Clear: Urgent Legislation Required to Protect Children from Sexual Exploitation! Read the story

Members

ECPAT Belgium was established in 1994. It is a coalition of more than 30 NGOs working on the issue of human rights, child rights and development. ECPAT Belgium works mainly in the areas of combating child sex tourism and trafficking of children; assisting youngsters at risk; increasing youth participation; and stemming demand for CSEC.

ECPAT Belgium

Contact: Atifa Boulafdal
Phone: +32 (0) 478 60 12 33
Address: Rue Joseph II, 20, 1000 Bruxelles, Belgique
Email: info@ecpat.be
Website: http://www.ecpat.be/

Facts

According to Article 10ter of the Belgian Code of Criminal Procedure, Belgian authorities can prosecute any individual, regardless of his/her nationality, who committed abroad a sexual offence against a minor provided that the offender is found on Belgian soil.

In 2015, Belgium launched a new four-year National Plan of Action to combat trafficking in human beings which includes measures to improve child victims’ identification and ensure the protection of unaccompanied children in order to reduce their vulnerability.

In March 2015, the Belgian House of Representatives adopted a resolution calling on the Government to address the issue of child marriage in its bilateral agreements.

Resources

ECPAT joins forces with DOT Europe, CCIA and 50+ tech trade associations and NGOs with a joint statement to the European Union

Year: 2024

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ECLAG
Fact-check: Top 9 claims made on the Regulation to fight Child Sexual Abuse

Year: 2023

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ECLAG
Open Letter to the LIBE Committee Rapporteur on the proposed EU regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse

Year: 2023

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ECLAG Group
ECPAT with 41 child’s rights organisations denounces IMCO’s draft opinion on the EC Child Sexual Abuse Regulation Proposal

Year: 2023

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Stories

News from Belgium

Indicators

Age of Consent

Not Yet Assessed

Extraterritoriality & Extradition

Partial

The Code of Criminal Procedure provides for universal jurisdiction of SEC-related offences (it allows for prosecution of anyone present in Belgium having committed sexual offences abroad against a minor). Universal jurisdiction also applies if the perpetrator is not found in Belgium but there is a request from the prosecutor. Double criminality is lifted for SEC-related offences.

Belgium does not extradite its nationals and foreigners cannot be extradited unless Belgium has a bilateral treaty with the concerned state (reciprocity) and the punishment incurred is at least one year of imprisonment (double criminality). There are no specific provisions on extradition for SEC-related offences in national law.

SEC offences are referred to as extraditable under the European Arrest Warrant (EAW) framework within the EU without requiring double criminality if the act is punishable by a maximum period of at least three years of imprisonment in the requesting State.

Criminal Code Code of Criminal Procedure Law on Extradition Law on the European Arrest Warrant, 1867 (status as of 2022), 1878 (status as of 2022), 1874 (status as of 2022), 2003 (modified 2022)

CSAM Definition

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Background Check Required

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National Commitments

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Child Advocacy Centers

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SEC Police Unit

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Protection Standards Travel and Tourism

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Public SEC Case Data

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