LEEDS, UK - The Archbishop of York has said he is “stunned” by the Coalition Government’s decision not to support a European Union directive to combat sex trafficking.

The directive aims to harness Europe-wide efforts against the trade of men, women and children for the sex industry. The directive lays down a common definition of trafficking, with supporters saying it will make the prosecution of suspected traffickers easier.

Although the directive will be decided upon according to qualified majority voting within the EU, Britain is free to choose whether it wants to “opt in” or not.

The Home Office said last week that the Government would review the UK’s position once the directive had been agreed. A Home Office spokeswoman claimed that the UK was already complying with “most of what is required” by the directive and that opting out would prevent the UK from being “bound by measures that are against our interests”.

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