Return Operations Sector

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Activities of Frontex in the field of return
Return Operations Sector GDISC Returns
Conference Visegrad, Hungary, 28-30 October 2009
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Council Regulation No 2007/2004, Article 9

• Tasks
• the Agency shall, subject to the Community
  return policy, provide the necessary assistance
  in organising joint return operations of Member
  States
• the Agency may use Community financial means
  available in the field of return
• the Agency shall identify best practices for the
• a) acquisition of travel documents
• b) removal of illegally present
  third-country nationals

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Operational Statement

• Core Country Group
• basic regular platform of Frontex and MS to
• to identify needs possibilities for JRO
• to determine destinations for JRO
• to plan operational aspects of JRO
• to evaluate conducted JRO Slide 20

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Assistance in JRO - Art. 9 (1)

• Assistance in JRO (proactive, coordinating)
• to identify needs possibilities (CCG
  meetings)
• to coordinate JRO of MS (even if co-financed
  from Return Fund)
• - offer of available seats to all MS search for
  partners collection and spread of different
  info keeping, updating overview of returnees
  escorts creation of operational plan help to
  solve problems assistance on the spot some days
  prior to departure participation in advance
  parties JRO etc.
• to provide co-financing of JRO
• to use develop ICONet-Return Section
  (communication platform)
• to inform on planned completed JRO
• to be involved in talks with third countries
• to take part in MS return projects
• to evaluate accomplished JRO

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Main Objectives for Return Activities in 2010

• To intensify operational work within CCG,
  focusing on identification of JRO needs,
  possibilities destinations, planning and
  evaluation of JRO
• To increase common understanding of respecting
  fundamental human rights during operational
  activities
• To continue assisting in JRO, further developing
  the capacity
• To encourage MS to take proactively a leading
  role in JRO
• To extend pre-return assistance to MS in the
  fields of identification and acquisition of
  travel documents
• To further develop the best practice documents
  with focus on forced-return monitoring system
• To develop procedures for chartering aircrafts by
  Frontex

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Co-financing / Chartering

• Art. 9 (1) New Broader Interpretation (14th MB,
  Nov07)
• no obstacles are seen for Frontex in chartering
  aircrafts as a long-term perspective
• but practical arrangements have to be worked out

• New Possible Assistance in JRO
• to co-finance aircrafts chartered by MS other
  related costs
• to charter aircrafts (long-lasting process)

1st Step to co-finance JRO (start in 4Q/2008
21 JRO since then) 2nd Step to explore
conditions for chartering
create terms of reference
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1st Step - Co-financing of JRO

• ELIGIBLE COSTS (different from other JO)
• JRO transport costs
• Chartered means of transport
• Means of transport owned by MS authorities
• Insurance of charters cancellation
• Connecting transport
• Overnight stay accommodation
• Advance party travel, accommodation, daily
  subsistence allowance (DSA)
• Services meeting room, catering (passengers
  too)
• Other eligible direct costs up till now financed
  via Notes of Understanding
• Salaries, social security charges DSA of MS
  officials excluding advance party
• Indirect costs up to 7

financed by Frontex Frontex Frontex Fronte
x Frontex MS Frontex
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Joint Return Operations coordinated by Frontex
2006-2009
about 4 further JRO foreseen until end of 2009
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Joint Return Operations coordinated by Frontex in
2009
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Other activities of ROS

• Identification of Best Practices
• for the Removal of Illegally Present
  Third-Country Nationals by Air
• for the Removal of Illegally Present
  Third-Country Nationals by Land
• for the Acquisition of Travel Documents

• PP Joint Operations in Malta
• In 2006 Identification of rejected asylum
  seekers, language tests etc.
• PP Mekong
• to share a third country delegation between MS
  to carry out collective
• interviews
• preparation in 2008, implementation in 2009

Meetings Direct Contact Points in Return
Matters Core Country Group

• Workshops on Problematic Third Countries
• Aim to discuss operationally return
  collaboration obtain common conclusions,
  recommendations

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Pilot Project ATTICA 2009 (2010)

• PP on Return Capacity Building in Greece
• Main Objective Assistance in identification,
  acquisition of travel documents, return
  activities re. illegally present third-country
  nationals
• Steps
• Establishment of temporary Return Coordination
  Centre in Athens
• Deployment of national experts (some as SNE)
• Deployment of linguistic cultural mediators
  (LCM)
• Visits at third-countries Embassies
• Organisation of JRO etc.
• Operational phase mid October mid December
  2009
• In 2010 a follow-up project is foreseen

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Budget 2005 - 2010
2005 80.000 Euro 2006 325.000
Euro 2007 600.000 Euro 2008 (560.000)
amended budget 2.560.000 Euro 2009 (3.250.000)
amended budget 5.250.000 Euro 2010 6.770.000
Euro (adopted by MB in Sep09)
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Return Directive (2008/115/EC)
Directive 2008/115/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council of 16 December 2008 on common
standards and procedures in Member States for
returning illegally staying third-country
nationals Article 8 (6) Member States shall
provide for an effective forced-return monitoring
system.

• State of play
• Only 4 MS fulfill the requirements laid down in
  Art 8 (6)
• Close cooperation of Frontex with EC
• To be included in Best Practices

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Proposals for 2010

• Proposals for Joint Activities in 2010
• Proposers
• Member States
• Frontex
• Proposals for Activities
• Return Operations (also by land)
• Projects (e.g. task forces from third countries)
• Meetings
• Seminars etc.
• Possible JRO destinations West Africa, Western
  Balkan, South America, Asia
• ! Constant group of organising states
• ! Limited number of third countries/destinations
  that accepted JRO

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• Why common actions?
• To conduct a dignified, effective, efficient and
  harmonized forced return
• To share experiences and benefit from good
  relations of some MS
• To reach common approach
• To appear towards the third countries as a
  European Union (uniform entity)

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• Use Frontex and its Network of Direct Contact
  Points in Return Matters
• in order to find partners for your joint actions
  in the field of return
• in order to fill empty seats on the planes of
  your planned national return action
• in order to find MS who want to join your invited
  third county delegation
• Please inform us on your plans in the field of
  return

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Thank you for your attention Any questions?
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Contact
Frontex Rondo ONZ 1 00-124 Warsaw Poland Tel
(48) (0) 22 544 9500 Fax (48) (0) 22 544
9501 Email frontex_at_frontex.europa.eu (ROS
fjrcc_at_frontex.europa.eu) www.frontex.europa.eu
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Hyperlinks integrated in the main presentation
above are following here
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Core Country Group (CCG)
Core Country Group 12 MS/SAC established 2007
Organising state prepares the JRO
Frontex decides on co-financing FX sends a
request letter and offer of co-financing to OMS

• Main Tasks
• Identification of needs possibilities for JROs
• Determination of organising states based on
• national interest
• willingness
• capability
• Discussions about operational, practical matters
  of JROs

Frontex organises meeting of CCG
Frontex receives official offer of JRO from OMS
spreads it to all MS/SAC

• Frontex
• coordination
• co-organisation
• co-financing
• ICONet

Evaluation of conducted JRO Contributions from
all participating MS/SAC
OMS carries out the JRO in co-operation with
Frontex
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Organising states in JRO coordinated by Frontex
2006-2009
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Destinations of JRO coordinated by Frontex in
2006 - 2009
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Sharing of third country delegations (Task
Forces)
e.g. Frontex Project Mekong

• Invitation of third country delegation

• Illegals were interviewed in 2 MS

• Delegation issued ETC for identified people

• A joint return operation followed with the
  identified Vietnamese on board

Vietnam