EU fears World Cup prostitution

Europe's justice ministers have met in Luxembourg to discuss special measures to tackle prostitution during this year's World Cup.

Fears over the trafficking of prostitutes will see a police and borders crackdown during this summer’s football tournament.

Over one million mostly male soccer fans are to converge on Germany for the soccer tournament in June, fuelling fears of a surge in demand for prostitution as brothels are legal under German law.

The UK is among the many national governments calling for a crackdown on prostitution.

Socialist MEPs have written to justice ministers to call on Europol, German and national police forces to target the criminal gangs responsible for the vice trade.

The EU is set to introduce tougher border surveillance to prevent the mass trafficking of women into Germany, especially from eastern Europe.

EU Justice commissioner Franco Frattini told reporters on Thursday: "I am confident that the German government is preparing quite well against this terrible threat."

And a draft text due to be adopted on Thursday by EU interior ministers reads: "The council welcomes the actions taken by Germany in connection with the Football World Cup 2006 and Germany's readiness to report on its experience after the World Cup."