Background:

In accordance with Article 21 of Council Directive 2001/55/EC (Temporary Protection Directive), Member States are required to facilitate the voluntary return of individuals granted temporary protection or whose status has expired. In 2023, 8.400 individuals under temporary protection in Sweden left the country, with 7.400 remaining out of the country by the end of the year. Between 2022 and 2023, 61.800 first-time applications for temporary protection were received, with 16.600 voluntarily departing. The Swedish Migration Agency was tasked with analysing and proposing measures to support voluntary returns to Ukraine and reviewing return procedures across Europe.

Respondents:

22 EMN Member Countries provided a public answer to this ad hoc query. 

Findings:

A preliminary analysis of the results of the ad hoc query shows that: 

• Most EMN Member Countries do not actively promote voluntary return to Ukraine, although some offer travel support or assistance for returns to third countries. SK promotes voluntary return through its AVRR programme, which includes assisted voluntary return to Ukraine. SE supports voluntary return, with 1.519 individuals returning to Ukraine in 2024. NL offers personalised travel support for return to Ukraine, though it is not actively promoted. In contrast, AT, DE, EE, FI and FR either do not support return to Ukraine or have suspended such support due to the ongoing conflict.
   

• Reintegration support for returnees to Ukraine is limited, with some exceptions in certain countries, including SK providing reintegration support as part of its AVRR programme, managed by IOM. Other countries, such as AT, DE, FI and SE, do not offer reintegration assistance for returns to Ukraine.
   

• Most countries provide some form of travel support. BG offers ticket assistance and a small cash grant. CZ provides travel support, including bus tickets or medical transport when needed. In HU, beneficiaries of temporary protection are entitled to free rail transportation across the country, including travel to the Ukrainian border. NL provides flight bookings to PL for onward travel to Ukraine. EE and FI offer travel support for returns to third countries but not to Ukraine.
   

• Funding for these return and reintegration programmes is primarily sourced from national budgets. However, some countries, such as BG and SK, also utilise EU funds. BG funds travel support through the Frontex ticket platform, while SK leverages EU resources for its AVRR programme.
   

• Most EMN Member Countries do not track statistics on voluntary returns to Ukraine. SE is among the few countries that monitor and report voluntary returns to Ukraine.

For further details, please read the compilation of answers attached above.