26.3.2003 Official Journal of the European Union L 79/25 COMMISSION DECISION of 25 March 2003 setting up a consultative group, to be known as the ‘Experts Group on Trafficking in Human Beings’ (2003/209/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, (7)  This experts group should contribute substantively to Having regard to the Treaty on European Union, Whereas: 1 The Union shall maintain and develop the Union as an area of freedom, security and justice. The Union shall provide citizens with a high level of safety within the area of freedom, security and justice. That objective shall be achieved by preventing and combating crime, organised and otherwise, in particular trafficking in persons and offences against children. According to Article 5(3) of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union trafficking in human beings is prohibited. Trafficking in human beings as defined in the Council Framework Decision 2002/629/JHA of 19 July 2002 on combating trafficking in human beings is a serious crime comprising violations of fundamental human rights and human dignity and requiring a multi-disciplinary approach addressing the entire trafficking chain, comprising countries of origin, transit and destination alike. The Tampere European Council of 15 and 16 October 1999 called for prevention of all forms of trafficking in human beings. The Seville European Council of 21 and 22 June 2002 expressed the need for resolute action to combat trafficking in human beings. The Brussels Declaration as the final outcome of the European Conference on Preventing and Combating Trafficking in Human Beings — Global Challenge for the 21st Century from 18 to 20 September 2002 includes an annex of recommendations, standards and best prac- tices and expresses the need for an experts group on trafficking in human beings to be set up by the Commis- sion. the further development of the prevention of and the fight against trafficking in human beings and enable the Commission to gather opinions on any Commission initiative relating to trafficking in human beings. (8)  Therefore, this experts group should be set up, its term of office defined and its administration organised, HAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING DECISION: Article 1 Subject 1. A consultative group, to be known as the experts group on trafficking in human beings, hereinafter referred to as the experts group, is hereby established. 2. The experts group shall be made up of qualified indivi- duals competent to consider matters relating to trafficking in human beings. Such competence shall be based on experience deriving from activities for administrations of EU Member States and candidate countries and for inter-governmental, international and non-governmental organisations involved in the combat against trafficking in human beings or on academic research for public or private universities or institutes. Atticle 2 Mission 1. The Commission may consult the experts group on any matter relating to trafficking in human beings. 2. The experts group shall issue opinions or reports to the Commission at the latter's request or on its own initiative, taking into due consideration the recommendations set out in the Brussels Declaration. 3. In particular, a report of the experts group based on these recommendations shall be submitted within a period of nine months following the setting up of the group to assist the Commission with a view to launching further concrete propo- sals at European level.