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19
December
2025

Forced Return Monitoring Systems – 2025 update

The EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) publishes annual updates on the forced return monitoring systems set up by EU Member States under Article 8(6) of the EU Return Directive (2008/115/EC). This project has been ongoing since 2014. The latest report covers the period until the end of 2024.

All 27 European Union (EU) Member States, except Ireland, are bound by the EU’s return directive (2008/115/EC) to have effective forced return monitoring mechanisms. Frontex has established a pool of forced return monitors (Article 51 of the European Border and Coast Guard Regulation (EU) 2019/1896) – hereinafter EBCG Regulation. It was created to monitor forced return operations, which the agency supports.

The 26 EU Member States bound by the return directive have all adopted a legal basis for national forced return monitoring systems. In addition, National Preventive Mechanisms established under the 2002 Optional Protocol to the United Nations (UN) Convention Against Torture have a mandate, under international law, to monitor all places where individuals are deprived of their liberty.  This includes all centres, facilities and transport used during forced returns.

In five Member States no return operations were monitored in 2024. In an additional seven, less than 10 return operations were monitored per country.

In 2024, national monitoring bodies had 156 staff trained to be monitors, 101 of whom were operational. By comparison, 139 monitors were operational in 2023.