Periodic Reporting for period 1 - FAiR (Finding Agreement in Return)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2023-05-01 al 2024-07-31
EU+ countries face significant challenges in returning irregular migrants to their countries of origin, partly due to a lack of cooperation from these countries. These challenges are among the reasons why a considerable number of irregular migrants are staying in Europe. With limited opportunities for regularisation, many migrants remain in a state of limbo, which leads to substantial economic and human costs.
The FAiR project seeks to assess the legitimacy deficits in Europe’s current return and readmission policies. Its goal is to ensure these policies not only meet Europe’s needs but also consider the perspectives and interests of readmitting states and migrants.
FAiR will conduct a large-scale survey experiment in 10-12 EU+ countries to evaluate the public support for alternatives to return policies. Additionally, it will develop the MIREX (Migrant Return Policy Index), which will offer a comprehensive comparison of return policies across Europe.
The project will also propose improved monitoring guidelines and recommendations for both forced and assisted voluntary return (AVR) procedures, ensuring they incorporate human rights principles and enhance policy legitimacy.
The FAiR project is expected to produce significant scientific and policy impacts by providing evidence-based recommendations for better return migration management and strengthening international cooperation on return and reintegration issues, and alternatives to return.
The FAiR project seeks to assess the legitimacy deficits in Europe’s current return and readmission policies. Its goal is to ensure these policies not only meet Europe’s needs but also consider the perspectives and interests of readmitting states and migrants.
FAiR will conduct a large-scale survey experiment in 10-12 EU+ countries to evaluate the public support for alternatives to return policies. Additionally, it will develop the MIREX (Migrant Return Policy Index), which will offer a comprehensive comparison of return policies across Europe.
The project will also propose improved monitoring guidelines and recommendations for both forced and assisted voluntary return (AVR) procedures, ensuring they incorporate human rights principles and enhance policy legitimacy.
The FAiR project is expected to produce significant scientific and policy impacts by providing evidence-based recommendations for better return migration management and strengthening international cooperation on return and reintegration issues, and alternatives to return.
FAiR has conducted an extensive literature review on key topics, including enforced return and alternatives to return, and developed a conceptual framework that integrates rational choice and sociological institutionalism perspectives. FAiR has also mapped the positions of key actors in return processes and examined the ‘pull effect’ of non-enforcement mechanisms on irregular migration. FAiR has assessed factors that either facilitate or hinder non-EU states’ cooperation with return and readmission frameworks, and explored why implementation gaps persist despite the EU’s focus on enforcement.
Through desk research and fieldwork, FAiR has carried out policy inventories across 10-12 European countries which include comprehensive overviews on alternatives to return, human rights monitoring in forced and voluntary return procedures. FAiR has conducted extensive research outside Europe, specifically in Georgia, Iraq, Nigeria and Türkiye on discourses and counter discourses surrounding migrant return. Through this work, FAiR has identified key return narratives and discourses among NGOs, civil society organisations, the media and diaspora communities.
FAiR has also coded substantive and procedural aspects of return and readmission frameworks signed between EU+ and non-EU+ states. A questionnaire for national rapporteurs has been drafted to score return policies, feeding into the development of the MIREX (Migrant Return Policy Index). FAiR has built a comprehensive dataset on return frameworks, which will be used to analyse policy and non-policy determinants of enforced return.
The project has continuously engaged with stakeholders through workshops, roundtables, webinars, and validation sessions, ensuring their input shapes recommendations to improve return and alternative policies. This collaboration has been integral to several work packages.
Through desk research and fieldwork, FAiR has carried out policy inventories across 10-12 European countries which include comprehensive overviews on alternatives to return, human rights monitoring in forced and voluntary return procedures. FAiR has conducted extensive research outside Europe, specifically in Georgia, Iraq, Nigeria and Türkiye on discourses and counter discourses surrounding migrant return. Through this work, FAiR has identified key return narratives and discourses among NGOs, civil society organisations, the media and diaspora communities.
FAiR has also coded substantive and procedural aspects of return and readmission frameworks signed between EU+ and non-EU+ states. A questionnaire for national rapporteurs has been drafted to score return policies, feeding into the development of the MIREX (Migrant Return Policy Index). FAiR has built a comprehensive dataset on return frameworks, which will be used to analyse policy and non-policy determinants of enforced return.
The project has continuously engaged with stakeholders through workshops, roundtables, webinars, and validation sessions, ensuring their input shapes recommendations to improve return and alternative policies. This collaboration has been integral to several work packages.
FAiR has produced important results that could advance our understanding and improve the current EU policy infrastructure in return.
On return and readmission agreements, while the EU has placed considerable emphasis on these agreements, our research reveals that they do not necessarily lead to improved collaboration on returns. This challenges the prevailing assumption that written agreements alone are sufficient to facilitate cooperation, suggesting that more nuanced strategies are needed to enhance collaboration with non-EU countries. We also find evidence that some types of ‘informal’ EU-wide intergovernmental agreements may even be counterproductive.
On discourses, our research contributes to the emerging research that focused on the perspectives from the Global South regarding EU return policies. The findings from this research can shape future debates by encouraging the EU to adopt a more balanced approach that considers the interests and viewpoints of countries outside Europe. This could lead to a shift in the way the EU negotiates return policies, particularly in terms of fostering more equitable and respectful partnerships with the Global South.
On legitimate return and alternatives to return policies, FAiR’s work emphasises the need to strengthen the legitimacy of return processes. By doing so, FAiR advances the field by promoting policies that not only focus on their costs and benefits but also consider the broader legal, political and sociological dimensions. This approach encourages a more legitimate migrant return governance.
On monitoring forced and voluntary returns, FAiR emphasises the importance of monitoring both forced and voluntary returns as well as post-return outcomes to enhance legitimacy and transparency. By developing guidelines and recommendations, FAiR advances the field by providing tools that promote accountability and ensure respect for human rights throughout the return process.
On return and readmission agreements, while the EU has placed considerable emphasis on these agreements, our research reveals that they do not necessarily lead to improved collaboration on returns. This challenges the prevailing assumption that written agreements alone are sufficient to facilitate cooperation, suggesting that more nuanced strategies are needed to enhance collaboration with non-EU countries. We also find evidence that some types of ‘informal’ EU-wide intergovernmental agreements may even be counterproductive.
On discourses, our research contributes to the emerging research that focused on the perspectives from the Global South regarding EU return policies. The findings from this research can shape future debates by encouraging the EU to adopt a more balanced approach that considers the interests and viewpoints of countries outside Europe. This could lead to a shift in the way the EU negotiates return policies, particularly in terms of fostering more equitable and respectful partnerships with the Global South.
On legitimate return and alternatives to return policies, FAiR’s work emphasises the need to strengthen the legitimacy of return processes. By doing so, FAiR advances the field by promoting policies that not only focus on their costs and benefits but also consider the broader legal, political and sociological dimensions. This approach encourages a more legitimate migrant return governance.
On monitoring forced and voluntary returns, FAiR emphasises the importance of monitoring both forced and voluntary returns as well as post-return outcomes to enhance legitimacy and transparency. By developing guidelines and recommendations, FAiR advances the field by providing tools that promote accountability and ensure respect for human rights throughout the return process.