Background Part 7: Miscellaneous and generalTrafficking people for exploitation
69.On 29 March 2010, the European Commission tabled its proposal for a directive on trafficking in human beings; the EU agreed a finalised text in March 2011 which was adopted on 5 April 2011 (Directive 2011/36/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings and protecting its victims, and replacing Council Framework Decisions 2002/629/JHA)(27). The UK applied to opt in to the Directive in July 2011 and in October 2011, received confirmation from the European Commission that its application had been accepted. The UK is already compliant with most of the requirements of the Directive; however, there are two aspects which require primary legislation in order to comply. Government is now working on implementing the Directive to ensure compliance by the April 2013 deadline.
70.The offences of harassment and putting people in fear of violence in the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 came into force on 16 June of that year. That Act criminalises harassment and the more serious offence of pursuing a course of conduct putting people in fear of violence. On 14 November 2011 the Home Office launched a consultation to ask for views on how to protect victims of stalking more effectively and whether or not a change in the law was required; there were 156 responses to the consultation, which closed on 5 February 2012.