In a letter to the European Commission, 20 EU countries are calling for greater efficiency in returning Afghans without residence permits. The signatories criticise the currently low return rate – including Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan.
20 EU countries have addressed the European Commission in a letter, calling for more options to deport Afghans without residence permits back to their home country. The Dutch government published a corresponding letter to EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner – Czech Interior Minister Vít Rakušan has also signed the letter.
The letter notes that last year, 22,870 Afghans in the EU received a return decision, but only 435 of them, or just 2%, actually returned to Afghanistan. The EU interior ministers are calling for voluntary and forced return to Afghanistan to be addressed as a “shared responsibility” at the EU level.
While EU member states remain committed to fulfilling their international protection obligations and supporting those in need, it is equally important to address cases where individuals are not entitled to international protection or residence.
An increase in violent incidents involving Afghan nationals is being observed in many EU countries. Priority should therefore be given to the return of individuals who pose a threat to public order or national security.
The countries demand that an orderly, dignified, and safe return of individuals without legal residence – particularly those who pose a threat to public order or national security – is a necessary component of a credible and sustainable migration policy.
The countries that signed the letter at Belgium’s initiative include, in addition to the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Sweden, Hungary, and Cyprus. Norway is also among the signatories. The country is not an EU member but belongs to the Schengen Area.
