Sarah Smeyers (N-VA) questioned Ms Maggie De Block to know whether Belgium is interested in participating in European Return Platform for Unaccompanied Minors (ERPUM).

Maggie De Block noted that ERPUM currently involves Sweden (managing body), the Netherlands, Norway and the United Kingdom and underlined that the Swedish Migration Department is open to participation from Belgium. She added that she asked the administration to take the necessary steps to enable a possible participation. Belgium would find it particularly interesting to access the expertise in family tracing. The Immigration Office would be responsible for implementing such tasks, in cooperation with the guardianship service (Federal Public Service Justice) and Fedasil.

The current ERPUM project ends in late 2012 and the Swedish Migration Department has introduced ERPUM II by the European Return Fund. The EU funding for 2013 is therefore expected.

About ERPUM

European Return Platform for Unaccompanied Minors (ERPUM) is a European project. The project aims to find new methods for the return of unaccompanied minors that need to return after receiving a final rejection of their asylum application.

The project started in January 2011 due to the increasing number of asylum seeking children in Europe. The project background is to some extent based on the EU Action Plan on Unaccompanied Minors from 2010.

ERPUM is funded by the European Return Fund, Community Actions, and The Swedish Migration Board is managing the project.