EMN study ‘effectiveness of return’: first results expected end 2017

The return of irregular migrants is one of the main pillars of the EU’s policy on migration and asylum. In this light the EMN will conduct in 2017 a study on ‘The effectiveness of return in EU Member States: challenges and good practices linked to EU rules and standards‘. The synthesis report of this study is expected to be published at the end of 2017. The Belgian national report will probably be published at the beginning of 2018.

The return of irregular migrants is an important aspect of the EU’s policy on migration and asylum. However, in 2014, it was estimated that less than 40% of the irregular migrants who were ordered to leave the EU departed effectively. In addition, recent data made available to Eurostat show that return rates at EU level have not improved despite the important increase in the number of rejected asylum applications and in the number of return decisions issued between 2014 and 2015. As a result, the European Commission has emphasised in its EU Action Plan on Return published on 9th September 2015 the need for a stronger enforcement of EU rules on return in order to increase the overall effectiveness of the EU’s return policy.

In this context the EMN will conduct in 2017 a study on ‘The effectiveness of return in EU Member States: challenges and good practices linked to EU rules and standards‘. The study aims at analysing the impact of EU rules on return – including the Return Directive and related case law from the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) – on Member States’ return policies and practices and hence on the effectiveness of return decisions issued across the EU. The study will also seek to provide an overview of the challenges encountered by Member States in effectively implementing returns, as well as identify any good practices developed to ensure the enforcement of return obligations in full respect of fundamental rights, the dignity of the returnees and the principle of non-refoulement.

The comparative synthesis report of this study (based on the contributions of the different national contactpoints) is expected to be published at the end of 2017. The Belgian report on this topic will probably be published at the beginning of 2018.

The outcomes of the study will feed inter alia into the Progress Report on the Renewed Action Plan on Return and the accompanying Recommendation on making returns more effective which the European Commission will present in December 2017.

Publication Date: Thu 06 Jul 2017
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