The EU Council is counting on an overhaul of voluntary returns to strengthen migration management, according to a note from the Cyprus Presidency, which Agence Europe was able to consult and which will be discussed at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on Thursday 5 and Friday 6 March.
This discussion comes as the current framework is being criticised for its lack of effectiveness, with the actual return rate of migrants ordered to leave the Schengen area estimated at around 24%, according to the document.
In 2025, more than half of all recorded departures were voluntary returns, considered by the EU Council to be a “more dignified, sustainable and cost-effective alternative to forced return”. However, the fragmentation of national authorities and limited sharing of information are hampering the continuity of current procedures.
To remedy these shortcomings, the Cyprus Presidency is proposing “a whole-of-government approach”, based on “strong inter-institutional cooperation“. It suggests encouraging people to leave at the outset of asylum procedures, with “decreasing“ material support to encourage a rapid decision. The document stresses that the frequency of voluntary returns also depends on whether “robust and effective forced returns” are a credible alternative.
In addition, the ministers must assess the impact of digitising systems on reducing secondary movements linked to what the Presidency describes as “reintegration shopping”, i.e. a strategy whereby illegal migrants move within the Schengen area to obtain the most attractive benefits.
According to the provisional agenda, this issue is to be examined on March 5 at the Schengen Council, alongside the analysis of the migration barometer and the interoperability of information systems.
In addition, a text on the return of migrants is due to be put to the vote in European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties on 9 March (see EUROPE 13807/4), after having been postponed due to a lack of agreement between rapporteurs. (Original version in French by Justine Manaud)