State of the Art and New Policy Recommendations on the Voluntary Return of Migrants

Rethinking Voluntary Return: Ten Recommendations for Fairer and More Sustainable Migration Policies

This report, entitled “State of the Art and New Policy Recommendations on the Voluntary Return of Foreign Nationals”, by Gabriele Carapezza Figlia, Adriana Brusca, Francesco Disalvo, Emanuele Parlavecchio, and Gabriele Crescente from the Department of Law at LUMSA University of Palermo, is one of the research outputs of the We Propose project funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR) through the 2022 PNRR call.

The document focuses on a rapidly evolving domestic, European and international context, where, between 2011 and 2022, the European Commission introduced tools aimed at strengthening the Union’s capacity to manage migration flows, establishing standards for AVR&R (Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration) measures. These programmes, designed to support the voluntary return and socio-economic reintegration of migrants, represent a crucial component of migration policy, yet they present significant challenges.

The analysis carried out by the LUMSA team within the framework of AVR&R projects highlighted these critical issues while also providing an opportunity to identify potential corrective measures aimed at ensuring a more effective practical application of the scheme. Based on these findings, the report – freely available in both Italian and English – proposes ten operational recommendations, ranging from the revision of legislation and programme governance, to the full protection of migrants’ voluntariness, and including the promotion of socio-economic and health support tools, bilateral agreements with countries of origin, and ex-post monitoring systems. Collectively, these recommendations aim to strengthen the sustainability, effectiveness, and fairness of voluntary return and reintegration programmes, ensuring respect for migrants’ fundamental rights and a more coordinated and inclusive management at both national and European levels.

Based on the collected evidence, the report formulates ten concise operational recommendations aimed at improving voluntary return and reintegration programs (AVR&R ):

1. Eliminate the generalized requirement to renounce residence permits, by introducing circular mobility schemes and exemptions for specific categories such as entrepreneurs, seasonal, or transnational workers.
   
2. Ensure full voluntariness and informed consent through procedures involving independent mediators and neutral terminology, replacing “assisted repatriation” with “assisted return.”
   
3. Reform program management by adopting centralized governance, with a single national implementing body and a coordinated territorial network.
   
4. Provide healthcare and accompaniment for vulnerable migrants, by ensuring continuity of treatment and assistance during travel and in the destination country.
   
5. Establish structured bilateral agreements with third countries of origin, including reciprocal obligations, joint monitoring, and co-financing of post-return activities.
   
6. Introduce flexible return mechanisms in national legislation, allowing return to Italy in the event of reintegration project failure.
   
7. Ensure program continuity through a multi-year funding plan, complementing European budgets to support medium- and long-term project planning.
   
8. Institutionalize a national information and awareness campaign, with multilingual channels, territorial help desks, and periodic effectiveness monitoring.
   
9. Adjust financial contributions to the countries of origin, taking into account the cost of living, reintegration project needs, and fund traceability.
   
10. Introduce a national ex-post monitoring system, with a dedicated observatory, standardized impact indicators, and public dissemination of data to promote continuous policy improvement.

These recommendations, grounded in empirical data and social impact assessments, aim to enhance the effectiveness, sustainability, and fairness of AVR&R programmes, promoting a migrant return management approach that respects fundamental rights, is sensitive to gender dimensions, and is better coordinated at the national and European levels.

You can learn more about the historical development of AVR programmes here: Assisted Voluntary Return: A Brief Regulatory Overview