On behalf of the General Directorate for Foreign Nationals in France (DGEF) within the Ministry of the Interior, EMN France has the pleasure of inviting you to the EMN French Presidency Conference 2022 on ‘Assisted voluntary return and reintegration: strategy of EU Member States and European coordination’. The conference takes place on 21 June at 9:30 – 5:45 (CET). 

This conference will bring together policy makers, practitioners, researchers, NGOs and international organisations at national and European level, aiming to provide a forum for constructive exchange. The conference will be opened by Mr Claude d’Harcourt, General Director for Foreign Nationals in France, followed by a welcome speech by Mr Michael Shotter, Director of the Directorate for Migration and Asylum, DG Home. This conference will be dedicated to the issue of assisted voluntary return and reintegration, focusing on EU and non-EU Member State approaches and European coordination.

The EU strategy on voluntary return and reintegration published on 27 April 2021 promotes the importance of voluntary returns and aims at increasing their share and number, while increasing the quality of the support provided to returnees. The aim of this strategy is to develop a more uniform and coordinated approach among EU Member States as well as to boost the effectiveness and sustainability of the common EU system for returns for the mutual benefit of the returnees, the EU and countries of origin.

During the conference all participants will have the opportunity to discuss best practices and challenges related to voluntary return and reintegration. Starting with EU tools and the legal framework, discussions will also focus on national schemes for assisted voluntary return and their promotion, as well as on reintegration programmes. Panellists and participants will make an analysis of the EU and national level, while also taking into account the perspectives of some countries of origin / transit.

Please find the agenda of the conference below.