On 7-8 November 2023, the Prague Process organised the Kick-off Workshop under the Thematic Component 2: Promoting readmission, voluntary return and sustainable reintegration, in Tirana, Albania. The first activity on the topic gathered return experts from 19 countries as well as representatives from the European Commission, Frontex, IOM, ICMPD and JCP.
The workshop featured three thematic sessions on forced returns and readmission, voluntary returns and reintegration, including several tours de table and breakout sessions, providing a platform for intergovernmental exchange and discussion on the practical aspects of returns, readmission and reintegration. The importance and relevance of the topic were highlighted multiple times by the participants in their statements, reconfirming the priorities identified in the Prague Process Action Plan 2023-2027.
Albania’s Deputy Minister of Interior, Mr. Andi Mahila, pointed out the key policy objective for the strategic governance of migration, enhancing the benefits of legal migration whilst ensuring migrants’ rights and successful integration. Participating states touched upon various topics highlighting the importance of international and regional cooperation and support from the implementing organisations (IOM, Frontex, EUAA, ICMPD, JCP) on returns and reintegration, the need to strengthen the legal framework implementing the readmission agreements and arrangements with third countries and reinforcing the national capacities to implement return operations and provide reintegration services.
The expert-facilitated breakout sessions opened the floor for a comprehensive discussion on the challenges such as low return rates from the EU countries, limited willingness of states to cooperate on readmissions and lack of capacities to implement returns operations, and the best ways to address them. The participants exchanged information on the best practices and presented various state-led reintegration programmes and projects implemented, including examples of successful projects on the local ownership and reintegration of victims of trafficking and vulnerable individuals.
Digitalisation is the PP Action Plan’s transversal topic that was a substantial part of the discussion during the workshop in relation to the need to develop and implement effective digital systems such as the Readmission Case Electronic Systems (RCES), and other existing tools, processes and platforms to enhance the overall benefits of digitalisation, data management as well as improving national reintegration and counselling services.
The Kick-off workshop provides a great starting point for future activities under TC 2 that will continue to address the interests and needs of participating states and further strengthen the networks between involved experts.
