Cyprus is among eight EU member states that reported having a fully designated national contact point for the cross-border referral of victims of human trafficking, a report published on Monday through the EU Anti-Trafficking Hub said.

According to the report, Cyprus has a fully institutionalised national referral mechanism, supported by a combination of legislative and administrative acts.

The report, prepared on behalf of the European Commission’s directorate for migration and home affairs, said Cyprus was currently reviewing its national legal and procedural framework for combating trafficking in human beings, with particular emphasis on the early identification of victims, clarification of the responsibilities of the authorities and organisations involved, child protection, updating guidelines and strengthening cooperation between services.

Standardised procedures, regular communication between services and cooperation in managing individual cases contributed to the coordination of Cyprus’ referral mechanism, it added.

However, the report identified challenges related to the differing responsibilities, operational priorities and capacities of the authorities and organisations involved.

It further pointed to the need for continuous training of frontline personnel, consistent implementation of referral procedures across all sectors and management of an increasing number of cases with limited resources.