Firstly we must observe the replacement and completion of the Framework Decision on
preventing and combating trafficking in human beingsfromJuly 19, 2002, adopted by the
EU to intensify judicial cooperation and harmonization of the legal norms of member
states on the matter which represented an instrument that was too vague and incomplete
when compared to the scale of the effects produced by these crimes.
The relation between the Directive and other international instruments should also be
kept in mind (such as the 2000 UN Protocol to prevent, suppress and punisb trafficking in
persons, especially women and children, supplementing the United Nations Convention
against transnationalo rganized crime, as well as the 2005 Council of Europe Convention
on action against trafficking in human beings). These instruments might be applied where
the directive and the law through which it was transposed remain silent.
The most important connection, however is the one between the directive and the
internal legal texts through which it was transposed. We are referring to Law, no. 67812001
which was modified multiple times to better correspond to the European provisions. Most
importantly, we must see to what degree the New Criminal Code respects the directive, as
soon enough we will have to refer to this act. Although in principle the new code seems to
cover the European provisions in quite a large degree, we have noticed a small omission of
the legislator which, in tbe fiiture, might serve as the ace up the sleeve of a documented
criminal ojfLnder.