Policies and practices on return counselling for migrants in EU Member States and Norway (2019)

The outcomes of the Inform shows that across both government and non-government providers, in the main, counselling fulfils two inter-linked purposes: to help the migrant to make an informed decision; and to ensure the effective implementation of migration policies by encouraging voluntary return and ensuring compliance with return procedures. While available to all third-country nationals, counselling occurs generally when an irregular situation is detected, and during the return procedure. Good practices included tailoring the counselling approach to the specific circumstances and needs of the individual, as well as the development of clear indicators and tools to measure the impact of the process of return counselling.