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On 16 October 2025, twenty EU Member States signed a joint letter urging the European Commission to take coordinated steps to enable voluntary and forced return to Afghanistan. The initiative, led by Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt, calls for a coherent European approach to address cases of Afghan nationals residing irregularly in the EU, particularly those posing a threat to public order or national security. The signatories stress that credible migration policies require effective return mechanisms and call for tangible progress by the end of the year.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: Afghanistan, voluntary return, forced return, public order, national security
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The Council of the European Union has adopted a recommendation outlining a common framework for the gradual transition of displaced Ukrainians out of temporary protection. The measures aim to support sustainable return and reintegration in Ukraine when conditions allow, while also facilitating access to other residence statuses for those eligible. The recommendation provides guidance on voluntary return, reintegration support and information systems for displaced persons.
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Main theme: Temporary protection, Return & Readmission
Keywords: displaced person, Ukraine, residence permit, voluntary return, reintegration
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Fedasil is organising an exhibition on voluntary return and reintegration at the Wintercircus. The Ghent-based Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer portrays the stories of, among others, Rosa from El Salvador and Igis from Albania. This exhibition is organised in collaboration with Caritas International and the International Organization for Migration, with the support of AMIF.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, reintegration, photo, exhibition
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On 4 June 2025, the European Commission proposed extending temporary protection for displaced persons fleeing the conflict in Ukraine until 4 March 2027. The proposal aims to provide legal certainty to beneficiaries and Member States by maintaining a consistent standard of protection across the European Union. Additionally, the Commission proposed a set of measures to facilitate a coordinated transition out of temporary protection.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Keywords: Ukraine, displaced person, beneficiary of temporary protection, legal status, voluntary return, reintegration
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According to recent data released by Eurostat, 124.935 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave an EU country, and 28.630 persons were returned to third countries following an order to leave. When compared with the same quarter of 2023, the number of non-EU citizens ordered to leave went up by 16.3%, while the number of people returned to third countries increased by 24.3%.
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Main theme: Data & Statistics
Keywords: order to leave the territory, voluntary return, forced return, irregularly staying third-country national
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In 2024, Belgium saw a notable increase in the number of individuals choosing voluntary return to their country of origin. According to Fedasil’s press release from 3 February 2024, the total number of individuals opting for voluntary return rose by 11% compared to the previous year.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return
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The 2024 national conference of EMN Finland shall examine the state of play as well as the future prospects of the situation of Ukrainians in Finland and in EU countries. The conference aims to address the challenges of integration in a situation where beneficiaries of temporary protection find themselves between two countries. The conference seeks to support these persons in the limbo between integration and return.
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Main theme: Integration, Temporary protection, Return & Readmission
Keywords: beneficiary of temporary protection, Ukraine, legal status, voluntary return
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The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor signed today an agreement with the Senegalese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Annette Seck. Belgium and Senegal agreed to cooperate on the return of irregularly staying Senegalese nationals and on legal migration.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: voluntary return, legal migration, circular migration
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In 2022, 2,673 persons voluntarily returned to their country of origin. The number is higher than before the corona period, when 2,426 persons returned voluntarily in 2019.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, forced return
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Voluntary returns to the countries of origin are decreasing for the third consecutive year.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return
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Voluntary returns to the countries of origin are decreasing. Among others, this is the result of the lower number of asylum applications the past two years.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return
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In october 2016, Fedasil has opened a new return desk in Charleroi, where migrants can receive information and assistance on voluntary return.
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Main theme: Irregular Migration, Return & Readmission
Keywords: return desk, voluntary return
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At the initiative of the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration, the premiums granted to Afghan and Iraqi nationals who voluntarily return to their country of origin have been temporarily doubled.
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Main theme: Asylum, Return & Readmission
Keywords: Afghanistan, departure premium, Iraq, voluntary return
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For the first time in Europe, Fedasil and IOM organized on Monday 1st February 2016 a chartered flight to Baghdad for the voluntary return of 106 persons to Iraq.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, IOM, Fedasil
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The conference of the Belgian National Contact Point to the EMN– which took place on 4 December in Brussels – focused on challenges and opportunities associated with the return of irregular and vulnerable migrants.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission, Vulnerable groups
Keywords: EMN conference, forced return, reintegration programmes, voluntary return, vulnerable persons
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Today, on 14 February 2014, the first meeting took place of the Return and Reintegration Experts' Group (REG) under auspices of the European Migration Network. REG incorporates the former work of the Voluntary Return European Network.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, VREG
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Today, Tuesday 8 January 2013, the act of purchase was signed for the building that will become the open return centre in Holsbeek.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: return centre, voluntary return
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On 11 October 2012, The Immigration Office together with Fedasil organize an information session aimed at providing useful information on how to submit an admissible project under this call for projects.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: european return fund, voluntary return
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On 28 September 2012 a call for proposals was published in the Belgian Official Gazette, making available resources provided for voluntary return in the annual program 2012.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: european return fund, voluntary return
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The law of January 19, 2012 introduced the concept of a “return track” for asylum seekers, a framework for individual counseling on return, offered by the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil). New instructions implement this return track in the reception centres.
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Main theme: Reception, Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, return track
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The Christian Michelsen Institute published a report commissioned by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration on the Norwegian Information, Return, and Reintegration of Iraqi Nationals to Iraq (IRRINI) Programme. The research has been done in cooperation with the University of Duhok.
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Main theme: Integration, Return & Readmission
Keywords: reintegration program, voluntary return
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PREMIG is a four-year research project 2011-2014 based at the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO). The project addresses return migration from Norway and the United Kingdom
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: forced return, return, voluntary return
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The Belgian Immigration Office started the SEFOR Project, which aims at ensuring the follow-up of the migrants having received an order to leave the territory, if they are effectively returning to their country of origin, voluntarily or not (SEFOR meaning "Sensibilisation, Follow-up, Return)