This Inform, updated on the basis of national contributions from 28 EMN Member and Observer Countries, provides an overview of recent developments and policy approaches in the field of statelessness, with a cut-off date of 31 October 2025. It forms part of the EMN Platform on Statelessness series, building on previous Informs published in 2016, 2020 and 2023.

This Inform explores good practices and challenges in the coordination between different stakeholders and between different stages of return and reintegration of third-country nationals in EMN Member and Observer Countries. It explains how improved coordination among stakeholders, enhanced institutional frameworks, and effective national strategies can facilitate a consistent and structured approach to return and reintegration across Europe.

This EMN Inform updates the 2020 Inform “Statelessness in the EU” and focuses on the implications of statelessness for affected individuals in the EU, Norway and Georgia.

What bilateral readmission agreements exist between EU Member States, Norway and third countries to facilitate the return of migrants staying irregularly on the EU territory? This EMN inform aims to map these agreements and understand how they work.

What incentives and motives exist that impact a third-country national’s decision to depart voluntarily? This EMN inform focuses on the issue of voluntary departures from EU Member States and Norway, in compliance with - or in anticipation of - a return decision.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on return procedures had been significant across EU countries as well as OECD countries in and outside Europe since March 2020. This Inform looks into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on voluntary and forced return procedures and on policy responses. 

These three EMN Informs look into i.a. possible approaches for return counselling, support for return counsellors, and information provision for the return of migrants.

In de Europese Unie zijn naar schatting 400.000 mensen erkend staatloos of hebben geen vastgestelde nationaliteit (UNHCR, 2018). In 2017 waren er niet minder dan 2.100 staatloze kinderen in Europa geregistreerd. Dit is een verviervoudiging t.o.v. 2010. Hoe stellen EU-lidstaten staatloosheid vast? Wat betekent deze erkenning in de praktijk voor staatloze migranten? Op deze en andere vragen over staatloosheid vindt u een antwoord in deze Inform.

This EMN Inform summarizes the main findings of the EMN study “The effectiveness of return in EU Member States: challenges and good practices linked to EU rules and standards”.

This Inform presents an overview of the EMN Study on “Challenges and practices for establishing the identity of third-country nationals in migration procedures”. 

This EMN Inform summarizes the main findings of the EMN study "The Illegal Employment of Third-Country Nationals in the EU".

This EMN Inform examines – inter alia – the state of play of the 1954 and 1961 conventions on statelessness, statelessness determination procedures, rights granted to recognized stateless persons, and the situation of stateless minors in the EU.

This EMN Inform summarises the main findings of the EMN Study "The Return of Rejected Asylum Seekers in Belgium and in the EU: Challenges and Good Practices".

This EMN Inform provides an overview of the results of the review of 87 programmes implemented by 23 Member States and Norway to assist migrants to return and to support their reintegration.

This EMN Inform summarises the main findings of the EMN Study "Dissemination of Information on Voluntary Return: how to reach irregular migrants not in contact with the authorities".

This EMN Inform provides information concerning EMN national Contact Points’ practices on return and reintegration to Western Africa.

This Inform summarizes the main findings of the corresponding EMN study aimed at analyzing Member States’ use of entry bans and readmission agreements as the EU main policy measures to implement effective return policies

This EMN Inform provides information concerning Member States’ practices on return and reintegration to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

This Inform summarizes the main findings of the corresponding EMN study aimed at analyzing Member States’ use of detention and alternatives to detention in the context of immigration policies

This EMN Inform provides an overview of current aspects of return in EU Schengen Member States and Norway, including statistics.

This EMN Inform provides a short overview of the main developments that took place in the EU in 2011 in response to increasing migratory pressure and specifically in relation to the six strategic priority areas of the EU Action on Migratory Pressure.