Within the framework of the Return Expert Group (REG), this ad hoc query aims to identify innovative collaborations related to multistakeholder governance. The focus is on partnerships between national authorities, local authorities, and civil society organizations to facilitate information sharing, guidance, and case resolution for migrants with return decisions or those remaining undocumented and off the radar of national authorities. 

The Swedish government has established a committee to review aspects of Swedish legislation concerning the return procedures for third-country nationals. The committee's goal is to propose new measures and revisions to existing laws to enhance the effectiveness of the return process. Consequently, they initiated an ad hoc query to gather information about the regulations related to the limited validity period of return decisions and the duration of entry bans.

At the beginning of 2023, a coordination meeting of the directors of the Belgian closed detention centers was held. At this meeting, they expressed their concern about the significant increase in the trafficking of drugs inside their centers. That’s why EMN Belgium was asked to launch an ad hoc query in order to gather information on how this issue is addressed in the other Member States.  

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. 

This study aims to identify the conditions that influence the decisions by refugees in protracted displacement regarding return to their home country: when, why and by whom are decisions on return and other coping strategies made?

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 study analyses and compares the different approaches used by Member States to ensure irregular migrants are informed of options for return.

In this dissertation to obtain the degree of Doctor at Maastricht University, Marieke van Houte shows that the expectations on which migration and development policies are based only apply to a small minority of returnees, who are not the group that is targeted by these policies.

The study was conceived and commissioned as part of the Australian Government Department of Immigration and Border Protection’s Irregular Migration Research Programme and supported by the IOM and is one of the largest comparative projects on this topic in recent years.

18 (Member) States provided detailed national information and available statistical data on the detention and removal of unaccompanied and accompanied minors. This query was launched by the Belgian EMN national contact point.

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