The book gathers a group of scholars interested in both public international law and EU law to cover different facets of the relationship between the European Union and customary international law. Considering the distinct perspectives taken by international law and EU law, while also looking into the space in between the two, individual chapters tackle complex questions such as whether and on what bases the European Union is bound by customary international law as a matter of international law and EU law; how the European Union contributes to the development of international custom; and how different stakeholders - the Court of Justice of the European Union, the EU's political organs and EU citizens - rely upon customary rules. The book thus offers a systematic account of the relevance of customary international law for the external relations and internal functioning of what is no doubt the most remarkable regional international organization of our time.

Human trafficking is a serious human rights violation that leads to the gross exploitation of its victims, who are coerced into forced labor and slavery across the globe. As the current migration movement and refugee situation reaches crisis point in Europe, the risk of human trafficking from the Mediterranean Sea through Italy into Central and Western Europe has become a critical emergency. Focusing on human trafficking along this route into Europe, this book discusses the systematic exploitation of victims and the subsequent violation of human rights within an international context, providing an overview of the causes, regulation and prevention of the issue. Academic researchers, practitioners and policy-makers are brought together to provide both theoretical perspectives and practice-based approaches for addressing the issue of human trafficking. As well as scholarly contributions from experts in the field, the book also includes experiences and strategies of policy-makers and practitioners from governmental and non-governmental organizations, along with the real-life scenarios and practice reports. Human Trafficking and Exploitation should be considered essential reading for academics, policy-makers, advocates and activists interested in preventing human trafficking and protecting human rights. It will also be of interest to those with research interests within the broader themes of law, politics and international relations and social and health policy.