127 EUROPEAN MIGRATION AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING MEASURES HOW THE EUROPEAN BORDER AND COAST GUARD AGENCY (FRONTEX) IS ENHANCING THE PROTECTION OF VULNERABLE VICTIMS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING Maria João Guia Researcher at the University of Coimbra Centre for Legal Research Associate Researcher at Ius Gentium Conimbrigae – Centre for Human Rights Faculty of Law, University of Coimbra PhD in Law, Justice and Citizenship in the 21st century, University of Coimbra Sylff Fellow, 2012 maria.joao.guia@ij.uc.pt Abstract: In this article I analyse the human trafficking crime and the smuggling of immigrants as having the same common root. I focus on the EU Internal Security Strategy, concerning specifically the EU strategy on the fight to protect vulnerable victims of human trafficking (women and children), in an attempt to find a solution to the problem: “How to effectively reduce the number of women and children victims of human trafficking”. I highlight the EU Strategy Towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016), analysing what has been planned and how the problem is envisioned now (the current phase), focusing on maximizing the role of European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX) in this area. Keywords: human trafficking; smuggling of immigrants; European Directives; FRONTEX; prevention and repression of human trafficking Purpose of the article I begin this article by describing the European Directives on the combat of human trafficking and the smuggling of immigrants as having the same common root. After this introduction, this article intends to briefly analyse the EU Internal Security Strategy, concerning specifically the EU strategy on the fight to protect vulnerable victims of human trafficking (women and children), in an attempt to find a solution to the problem: “How to effectively reduce the number of women and children victims of human trafficking”. I will focus particularly on the EU Strategy Towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings (2012-2016), analysing what has been planned and how the problem is envisioned