EMN has released the new inform ’Coherent Return and Reintegration Assistance’, which explores good practices and challenges in the coordination between different stakeholders of return and reintegration of third-country nationals in EMN Member and Observer Countries.
A new inform from the European Migration Network (EMN) ‘Coherent Return and Reintegration Assistance’ sheds light on coordination challenges in return and reintegration policy of third-country nationals in EMN Member (EU Member States except Denmark) and Observer Countries (NO, GE, MD, UA, ME, AM, RS). The backdrop for this inform is the EU Strategy for Voluntary Return and Reintegration, introduced in 2021. The strategy emphasises the importance of coherence as the foundation for an effective and sustainable return and reintegration policy. Coherence, in this context, is understood as the systematic alignment of various actors and phases involved in return and reintegration at national level.
The inform found that a majority of EMN Member and Observer Countries have implemented a coherent approach to return and reintegration assistance, characterised by institutional cooperation, coordination, and clearly defined responsibilities among national actors, as outlined in legislation, national return strategies, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), and practical guidelines. Additionally, approximately half of these countries have established specific working mechanisms or platforms, such as working groups or regular stakeholder meetings, to ensure and monitor effective collaboration among all involved parties. Such frameworks support the distribution of responsibilities and coordination among agencies, ensuring that returnees receive consistent support.
Yet there are still challenges to address, including communication and coordination difficulties between agencies, a shortage of trained personnel, fragmented monitoring systems, and funding constraints. The vast majority of EMN Member and Observer Countries reported that their return and reintegration policy is aligned with other national policies, mainly internal security and development assistance policies.
This inform sheds light on the central role of coherence in achieving effective return and reintegration outcomes. EMN Member and Observer Countries generally have not observed significant incoherence among responsible actors for return and reintegration at the national level, but highlighted that perceived lack of coherence can lead to political debates, reduce program acceptance, cause inefficiencies, and hinder the achievement of national return policy objectives.
Inform can be found
here
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