The EU's New Return Regulation

Bernd Parusel

With the new Return Regulation, the European Union is tightening its common rules on the return of rejected asylum seekers and other persons without a right of residence and establishing a legal basis for return centers (“return hubs”) in third countries. This FFVT briefing explains the political background of the reform, its development, and its potential consequences, particularly with regard to the effectiveness of the new regulations and their implications for human rights. It contextualizes the debate on return policy using current statistical data and the current understanding of obstacles to returns, and highlights significant changes in return practices resulting from the new regulation.