22
November
2023

Forced return monitoring systems – 2023 update

FRA publishes annual updates on the forced return monitoring systems that EU Member States have set up under Article 8 (6) of the EU’s Return Directive (2008/115/EC). This latest update covers the period until the end of 2022.

1. Overview for 2022

All 27 European Union (EU) Member States except Ireland are bound by Article 8 (6) of the EU’s Return Directive (2008/115/EC) to set up effective forced return monitoring mechanisms.

The 26 EU countries bound by the Return Directive have all adopted a legal basis for national forced return monitoring systems. In addition, National Preventive Mechanisms established under the 2002 Optional Protocol to the United Nations (UN) Convention Against Torture have a mandate, under international law, to monitor all places where individuals are deprived of their liberty, which includes forced returns.

In practice, in 2022 FRA noted that in six EU Member States – Bulgaria, Spain, Croatia, Hungary, Latvia and Poland – no national forced return operation was monitored. In Croatia, the Croatian Law Centre – a civil society organisation – monitored forced returns until April 2021, when an EU-funded project came to an end.

Table 1 lists the forced return monitoring bodies in the EU Member States, flagging key concerns selected by FRA and identified based on available information. More information is available in the annex.

Table 1 – Forced return monitoring bodies, 27 EU Member States

EU Member State

Body responsible for monitoring

= corresponds to the National Preventive Mechanism established under the Optional Protocol to the UN Convention Against Torture

Key concerns for 2022

AT

Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services

 

No public reporting

BE

General Inspectorate of the Federal Police and the Local Police

 

 

BG

Ombudsmanof the Republic of Bulgaria

No monitoring in 2022

CY

Office of the Commissioner for Administration and the Protection of Human Rights (Ombudsman)

Only pre-return phase monitored

CZ

PublicDefender of Rights (Ombudsman)

Only pre-return phase monitored

DE

Federal Office for Migration and Refugees

Fora at various airports

National Agency for the Prevention of Torture

Fragmented system

 

Issues of independence: Federal Office monitors are not institutionally separate from the body responsible for returns

DK

Parliamentary Ombudsman

 

EE

Estonian Red Cross

 

 

EL

Greek Ombudsman

 

ES

Ombudsman

No monitoring in 2022

FI

Non-Discrimination Ombudsman

 

 

FR

General Inspector of All Places of Deprivation of Liberty

Only pre-return phase monitored

HR

None

 

No monitoring in 2022

HU

Prosecution Service of Hungary

 

No monitoring in 2022

IE

No monitoring system in law

 

 

IT

National Guarantor for the Rights of Persons Deprived of Liberty

 

LT

Diversity Development Group (NGO)

 

 

LU

Luxembourg Red Cross

 

No public report

LV

Ombudsman’s Office

No monitoring in 2022

MT

Monitoring Board for Detained Persons

No public report

NL

Inspectorate of Justice and Security

 

PL

Various NGOs, e.g. Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, Rule of Law Institute Foundation, Halina Nieć Legal Aid Centre, MultiOcalenie Foundation

 

No monitoring in 2022

PT

General Inspectorate of Home Affairs

 

 

RO

Romanian National Council for Refugees (NGO)

 

No public report

SE

Swedish Migration Agency

 

Issues of independence (same entity is responsible for returns)

SI

Caritas Slovenia (NGO)

 

 

SK

Slovenská humanitná rada (NGO)

 

 

Note: NGO = Non-governmental organisation

Source: FRA (2023)