The European Union has launched a new €1.5 million project that will boost the fight against organized crime and human trafficking in Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, and Turkey. According to a press release from the European Commission, this innovative pilot project will help countries to be better equipped to deal with human trafficking through sharing data on trafficking and providing training for law enforcement agencies on how to deal with the issue more effectively, Info-Prim Neo reports. Launching the project, Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Štefan Füle stated that the EU is determined to do all they can to work across borders and nations to bring an end to this evil activity of trafficking people wherever it takes place. Cecilia Malmström, Commissioner for Home Affairs, said trafficking in human beings cannot be tolerated in any form, be it in Europe or anywhere else in the world. “We need to work with partner countries and organizations to provide a strong and unequivocal response to this fundamental violation of human rights,” she stated. The project is one of the actions in the EU Strategy towards the Eradication of Trafficking in Human Beings 2012-2016. The project launched in early 2013 is a first pilot phase. By mid-2014 a second phase is expected to consolidate its results and broaden the scope by addressing not only law enforcement, but also assistance and protection of victims. More countries are also expected to join the project in the second phase.