Regulation of prostitution in the EU - vote - 27.6.23

27-06-2023 - 10:14
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Regulation on Prostitution in Europe © Image used under the license of Adobe Stock

On Tuesday, 27 June 2023, the FEMM Committee adopted the draft report on “Regulation of prostitution in the EU: its cross-border implications and impact on gender equality and women’s rights”.

The regulation of prostitution is a very relevant and sensitive issue currently debated in several Member States. Deciding which model of prostitution to adopt (legalising and regulating or legalising the unregulated market) is a political decision based on a variety of perspectives and choices. At the EU Member State level, at one end, prostitution is considered a profession (sex-work) and is therefore legal and regulated, while, at the other end it is seen as immoral and thus criminalised.

The objective of this report is to examine different regulatory mechanisms of prostitution as existing in the Member States of the EU and analyse their impact on gender equality and women's rights. It also examines the cross-border implications.