Measures taken when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic affected the implementation of return procedures of migrants. Health and safety conditions in detention had to be adjusted and migrants could return to their countries of origin only in case the travel was possible, and the flight connections were available.
The Inform focuses on the changes in policies and measures taken by the EU and OECD Member States in return procedures between March and September 2020. It examines the impact of measures taken in relation to the COVID-19 epidemic on the implementation of returns and issuance of return decisions. It also deals with detention and alternatives to detention as a prevention of absconding. It describes the changes introduced in providing pre-departure counselling and other related services and reintegration in the country of origin. It concentrates also on access to education of minors and access to health care for migrants who were issued a return decision. In the end, the Inform deals with specific measures related to returns implementation (e.g. issuance of travel documents, cooperation with other non-EU countries, etc.).
The data collected show that the number of forced returns plummeted during the early months of the pandemic and escorted forced returns were basically stopped except in specific cases. Voluntary returns continued despite the difficulty to provide the post-return assistance and some EU Member States even noticed an increase of requests for voluntary return. When it comes to detention, respective authorities were able to decrease the number of detainees especially by using alternatives to detention or releasing people who represented a low risk. In some cases, the implementation of returns was possible, but the Member States had to adjust the anti-pandemic requirements, e.g. by introducing quarantines, testing the returnees and the staff, equipping them with sanitary kits. Some practices have proven to work and may be maintained even after the pandemic, such as using the video conferences or other online communication tools more frequently when providing services to migrants and cooperating with the non-EU countries.
This Inform is part of the series of EMN and OECD Informs prepared in the context of COVID-19 pandemic in the field of migration.