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This week, Frontex is holding a three-day workshop for representatives of six Western Balkan countries to share best practices for non-voluntary return operations. The event, taking place at the agency’s Warsaw headquarters, is organised as part of the Regional Support to Protection-Sensitive Migration Management in the Western Balkans and Turkey (IPAII) project.

During the meeting, Frontex experts, including the agency’s Fundamental Rights Officer, discuss the European and international legal framework for return operations, along with fundamental rights safeguards, complaints mechanism and the monitoring of return flights. 

The topic of return of vulnerable groups was presented by the Dutch Repatriation and Departure Service. 

The participants have also talked about pre-return assistance, possibilities for a local or regional cooperation on identification and return, as well as other areas, where the support of Frontex might be needed: identifying third country nationals, acquiring travel documents and providing practical information on countries of return. 

Last year, with the adoption of the Regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard, the role of Frontex in return operations was strengthened. The agency offers support in the organisation of return operations from individual member states.

As part of the new expanded mandate on returns, Frontex has created three pools of return experts who will support the return of non-EU nationals from member states: return monitors, return escorts and return specialists. The experts nominated by member states are at the disposal of Frontex and may be deployed to a country in need of assistance in returns at its request.  

For more information about the IPA II project: http://frontex.europa.eu/assets/Partners/Third_countries/Handout.pdf