On 11 November 2014, the European Commission has released its 6th bi-annual report on the functioning of the Schengen area covering the period from 1 May to 31 October 2014.

On 20 October 2014, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has opened an investigation into how Frontex ensures the respect of fundamental rights of migrants who are subject to forced returns from the EU to their countries of origin.

On 12 and 13 June 2014, the European Migration Network Conference 2014 took place on "Irregular migration and return: challenges and practices". The Conference was organised in Athens, within the framework of the Hellenic Presidency of the EU Council.

This year, the EMN Conference aims to support the policymaking process on a number of key areas of irregular migration policy, namely readmission, return, reintegration and cooperation with countries of transit and origin, as well as re-entry bans and (alternatives to) detention.

In a Communication adopted today, the Commission stresses that Member States have generally ensured that the Return Directive is transposed in their national law but that there is scope for improvement in the practical implementation of the Directive and of return policies in general.

Today, on 14 February 2014, the first meeting took place of the Return and Reintegration Experts' Group (REG) under auspices of the European Migration Network. REG incorporates the former work of the Voluntary Return European Network.

The ERI Final Conference, which will take place in Brussels on 6 February, will address the experiences gained, results achieved and ideas for future cooperation in the area of return and reintegration.

The Christian Michelsen Institute published a report commissioned by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration on the Norwegian Information, Return, and Reintegration of Iraqi Nationals to Iraq (IRRINI) Programme. The research has been done in cooperation with the University of Duhok.

PREMIG is a four-year research project 2011-2014 based at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). The project addresses return migration from Norway and the United Kingdom

The Belgian Immigration Office started the SEFOR Project, which aims at ensuring the follow-up of the migrants having received an order to leave the territory, if they are effectively returning to their country of origin, voluntarily or not (SEFOR meaning "Sensibilisation, Follow-up, Return)