Less than 40% of irregular migrants who have been asked to leave the EU do return to their country of origin or to a third country. The European Court of Auditors (Court of Auditors) has just launched an audit on EU cooperation with third countries on the readmission of irregular migrants. Auditors will check whether the measures taken by the European Commission after 2015 have improved cooperation with priority third countries. In 2015, the Commission published an EU Action Plan for Return, in which it recognised that an effective return system should give priority to the readmission of irregular migrants in their relations with third countries. In 2016, it established the migration partnership framework to promote better cooperation with targeted priority countries of origin and transit, including through visa policy, development assistance and diplomatic engagement. In 2017, it launched a renewed return action plan, containing recommendations to improve the effectiveness of readmission to third countries. Negotiations have not yet resulted in a readmission agreement with one of these countries. So far, the EU has concluded readmission agreements with the following autonomous states and regions: under the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, the European Union can enter into agreements with third countries for the readmission of third-country nationals residing in the EU to their country of origin or country of origin. Since these EU readmission agreements apply to all Member States, there is no need for separate bilateral agreements. Bilateral agreements can be concluded with countries with which the Commission negotiates no readmission agreement at EU level. The auditors today published an audit overview entitled „Migration Return Policy – Cooperation with Third Countries on Readmission.“ Audit overviews contain information about an ongoing audit task and are intended to provide information to those interested in the directive or the programs to be reviewed. The full preview of the audit is available in English on eca.europa.eu. The report is expected to be published in the summer of 2021.

„return“ refers to the process of a third country national returning, either in voluntary accordance with the obligation, or by application, to his country of origin or transit, or to a third country of his choice that he accepts. The readmission of its nationals is in accordance with international law. Readmission cooperation is an integral part of the EU`s political dialogue with third countries: the Commission, the European External Action Service and Member States are involved in this dialogue through specific frameworks for cooperation with third countries.