News Item

Effective forced return monitoring overview updated

FRA has updated its annual overview of forced return monitoring systems across the EU.

The overview compares developments in EU Member States since 2014. It reflects on such trends as staffing, training, reporting and the monitoring of return operations in its various phases.

It shows that although all EU Member States monitor returns, gaps remain. For example in some countries, a close working relationship between the monitoring organisation and the return operations, makes it ineffective.

In others, few operations are monitored or monitoring does not cover all steps in the process.

In addition, in some Member States monitoring is temporary or dependent on project funding. When funding ends so does the monitoring.

The overview does not cover the pool of forced return monitors under the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex.