Child trafficking in the Canary Islands

Question for written answer E-004723/2025
to the Commission
Rule 144
Jorge Buxadé Villalba (PfE)

The latest case of child trafficking in the Canary Islands, in which 13 girls who were in Lanzarote illegally were sold as sex slaves in France, has once again exposed the weakness of the EU's legal framework.

Key features of the case include: the lack of transparency and oversight with which NGOs managing reception centres for illegal immigrants and other stages of the immigration process operate; lack of monitoring of children; lack of cooperation from countries such as Morocco; and a lack of resources to actually carry out returns.

Other legal proceedings launched for the same offences directly involve the organisations managing reception centres. NGOs often run the centres in an opaque manner and are in contact with the trafficking mafias themselves.

In light of the above:

• 1.Is the Commission familiar with the organisations under investigation and have they received EU funds?
• 2.Is the Commission working on proposals to determine the age of illegal immigrants and reduce the risk of fleeing or kidnapping?
• 3.Given the transnational nature of the case, are police authorities working with Europol to put an end to this criminal network?

Submitted: 28.11.2025