VANGUARD, represented by its coordinator (M4D group at the Information Technologies Institute, Centre for Research & Technology Hellas (CERTH-ITIhttps://www.iti.gr/iti/en/home/), participated at the CERIS FCT Annual Event in Brussels on September 24-25, 2024. The event stimulated discussion among security researchers, law enforcement practitioners, policy makers, civil society, and industry on topics relevant to VANGUARD priorities towards fighting trafficking in human beings, including the current landscape of online harms, AI technologies in fighting online crimes and the implications of the EU AI Act for relevant research efforts, as well as the challenges involved in the participation of practitioners and NGOs/CSOs in research consortia.