Stop organ trafficking

A heinous practice, which the Council of Europe is acting against. The trafficking of human organs is increasing dramatically in the Old Continent, favoured by a shortage of organs available for transplant compared to demand. In 2012, according to the 2013 Newsletter Transplant of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Healthcare, 68.073 were on a waiting list for kidney transplant, but 12 have perished on average every day because of the lack of available organs. This adds on to inequalities and severe poverty caused by the economic crisis, the differences in national healthcare systems and the avidity of ruthless traffickers. It is an explosive mix that promotes various forms of “transplant tourism” towards Countries that ensure greater “discretion” and greater room for manoeuvre, thereby furthering a criminal lucrative market that offends human dignity. Estimates by WHO show that some 10 thousand illegal surgical operations are performed yearly at global level, and that is probably underestimated. To counter this phenomenon, protect the victims, promote cooperation at national and international level in order to prosecute those responsible of this trafficking, the CoE Committee of Ministers a few days ago adopted an international convention. Illicit removal of organs: a criminal offence. The CoE Convention, calls on governments to establish as a criminal offence the illegal removal of human organs from living or deceased donors “where the removal is performed without the free, informed and specific consent of the living or deceased donor, or, in the case of the deceased donor, without the removal being authorised under its domestic law”. Organ is considered a criminal offence where “in exchange for the removal of organs, the living donor, or a third party, receives a financial gain or comparable advantage”. The Convention provides protection measures and compensation for victims as well as prevention measures to ensure transparency and equitable access to transplantation services. Each Party to the Convention must establish jurisdiction over the offences with which the Convention is concerned. Prevention is crucial: “It is essential to raise public awareness on organ donations and implement a system that will encourage people of become donors”, the document states. For this purpose, since 1996 each year the Council of Europe has promoted the European Day for Organ Donation & Transplantation, which this year will be held in Rome on October 11, as Italy holds the presidency-in-office of the CoE steering Committee on transplants of organs, tissue and cells. Due to its worldwide scope, the Convention will be open shortly for signature by member states and non-member states of the Council of Europe. Spain has offered to host the ceremony for the opening for signature by the end of 2014/beginning of 2015.
 Stop “match fixing”. A few days ago the CoE Committee of Ministers adopted a Convention on match fixing that represents a major step forward in safeguarding the integrity of sport and sports ethics”, said the Secretary General, Thorbjorn Jagland. The purpose of this Convention is to prevent, detect, punish and discipline the manipulation of sports competitions, as well as enhance the exchange of information and national and international cooperation between the public authorities concerned, and with sports organisations and sports betting operators. The Convention calls on governments to adopt measures, including legislation, notably: “prevent conflicts of interest in sports betting operators and sports organisations”; “encourage the sports betting regulatory authorities to fight against fraud, if necessary by limiting the supply of sports bets or suspending the taking of bet”; “Fighting against illegal sports betting, allowing to close or restrict access to the operators concerned and block financial flows between them and consumers”. Sports organisations and competition organisers are also required to adopt and implement stricter rules to combat corruption, sanctions and proportionate disciplinary and dissuasive measures in the event of offences, as well as good governance principles”. The Convention also provides safeguards for informants and witnesses. The Convention shall be opened for signature by member states and non-member states of the Council of Europe on the occasion of a ministerial conference organised on 18 September at Macolin in Switzerland.