The case of four Croatian couples arrested in Zambia on suspicion of human trafficking through child adoptions from the Democratic Republic of the Congo has attracted the attention of European institutions, the Croatian Vecernji List daily reported on Monday.

The four married couples from Croatia were arrested at Ndola airport in Zambia in early December on suspicion of human trafficking, based on suspicious adoption documents issued in the neighboring Democratic Republic of the Congo. They were released on bail after a court hearing last Thursday.

A statement by the European Commission on cross-border adoptions and the need for greater transparency and closer international cooperation in such cases has been included on the agenda of the plenary session of the European Parliament for February. Discussion was initiated by Croatian MEP Ladislav Ilcic, a member of the European Conservatives and Reformists group, who proposed adoption of a resolution on inter-country adoption.

“Adopting a child is a noble act, but in order to protect children and adoptive parents, we need to put an end to organised crime and patch up the gaps in the system that are used by criminals for child trafficking. That’s why I initiated this resolution, which has quickly received great support from MPs and leaders of political groups,” Ilcic told Vecernji List.

The resolution would call on EU member states to temporarily or permanently suspend child adoptions from DR Congo and other countries with the widespread practice of child trafficking until mechanisms have been established to prevent such practice and potential adoptive parents are provided with an efficient and verified adoption procedure.

MEPs will vote on the proposal after the European Commission presents its view.