Following the unprecedented loss of an estimated 1,600 migrant lives in the Mediterranean in the first months of this year, heads of EU governments adopted a statement on 23 April 2015 which focuses on increased securitisation of the external borders of the European Union and, among other priorities, outlines the establishment of a “new return programme” for rapid return of irregular migrants to be coordinated by Frontex.
Processes of returning undocumented migrants to their countries of origin have been of great concern to PICUM and many of its members in recent years. Conditions of migrants in detention, including the detention of children in some countries, a lack of legal aid and violence during forced removals are examples where migrants face human rights violations in the process of return. Standards and procedures applicable to persons subject to a return decision are currently regulated by Directive 2008/115/EC on “common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals” , also referred to as EU Returns Directive.
PICUM’s new Position Paper on the EU Returns Directive (Directive 2008/115/EC on “common standards and procedures in Member States for returning illegally staying third-country nationals”) published on 28 April 2015 highlights these concerns. The paper which aims at informing the debate on possible further development of the EU return policy by providing concrete policy recommendations, argues that policies should be focused on ensuring migrants’ fundamental rights through independent and systematic monitoring of return procedures. It also discussed detention of migrants and calls for viable alternatives to detaining migrants. Children should never be detained and migrants who cannot be returned to their country of origin should be granted leave to remain.
The position paper was developed with input from PICUM members who gathered for PICUM’s first meeting of the new working group on migration policies in Brussels in December 2014.
To read a blog about challenges and shortcomings around the implementation of the EU Return Directive and PICUM’s working group on migration policies click here.