Can you briefly tell us about the project you are working on?
This study is the third and final part of the project “Return as international migration policy: coordination within and across national borders,” funded by the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF). Currently, the study has the working title “Frontex’s Role in Return – Perspectives from Sweden” and aims to map the current frameworks for cooperation and support between Frontex and Sweden, examine the extent to which Sweden utilizes Frontex’s support and the perceived “effectiveness” of these, as well as the experiences of cooperation or conflict within the collaboration. The sub-study also aims to identify best practices and possible improvements for cooperation in the field of return.
Why did you choose to investigate this specific topic?
As a European agency, Frontex has significantly grown in both capacity and importance in the return process since 2016. Although there is extensive research focusing on Frontex’s procedures regarding border control and security at the EU’s external borders, there is considerably less on the topic of Frontex’s role in return operations. Despite Frontex being an active partner to Sweden in several return operations, we lack knowledge on Sweden’s cooperation with Frontex regarding return operations.
What phase of the study are you currently in?
We have just completed working on our background section to create a clearer picture of Frontex, its various parts, and how they operate in the return process. The next step in our work is to identify and contact actors at both the Swedish and international levels who in various ways play a role in the cooperation between the agency and Sweden.
