National delegations in the EU Council’s Working Party on Integration, Migration and Expulsion (IMEX) will discuss, on 12 May, the European Commission’s strategy on voluntary return and reintegration, published on 27 April (see EUROPE 12707/11).
Member States will be asked how they can make better use of existing tools such as the European Return and Reintegration Network, the EU framework on return counselling or on how to improve information on voluntary returns. “What role should Member States play in ensuring third country ownership of the readmission and reintegration of their nationals?”, will be another question asked.
The Commission wants Member States and Frontex to develop so-called voluntary returns of people who cannot stay in the EU because they do not reside legally or have been refused asylum. Voluntary returns are known to be more sustainable and less costly than forced removals.
The Commission’s strategy “aims to develop a more uniform and coordinated approach between Member States in order to fully exploit the potential of voluntary return and reintegration”, notes the Portuguese EU Council Presidency in a preparatory document.
Although without very concrete measures or additional budgets, it calls for a clear identification of the different actors of these pathways, between administrative agents and NGOs.
The aim is to address “various challenges in voluntary return and reintegration, including fragmented approaches, insufficient data collection, lack of a coherent framework for return counselling and a mechanism to refer returnees to return and reintegration programmes” or “insufficient funding”. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)