Those who cannot stay

The issue of return is high on the political agenda in Sweden and in the EU. How does the implementation of return policy work in Sweden? What is the division of responsibilities between the various actors? These are some of the questions that were raised at a seminar that Delmi arranged on Wednesday, February 4, 2020.

Over the past two last decades, 1999–2018, Swedish authorities have decided on more than 300,000 returns. Less than half – 44 percent – of those who have received refusal of their asylum applications and decision to return to their country of origin return voluntarily. Many of the decisions made by the Agencies are not executed at all. What obstacles exist for a successful implementation and why is there such a large discrepancy between goals and outcomes in the area of return policy?

The report is written by Henrik Malm Lindberg, Associate Professor in Economic History and research coordinator at Delmi. After his presentation, the panelists expressed their views in order to gain a broader understanding of the return area in Sweden.

The seminar was held in Swedish.

Participants

Henrik Malm Lindberg, Report author and Research Coordinator, Delmi.

Lars Westbratt, State secretary, The Swedish Ministry of Justice.

Per Löwenberg, Unit manager, The Swedish Border Police.

Madelaine Seidlitz, Senior legal adviser, Amnesty.

Sverker Spaak, Branch head for development analysis, The Swedish Migration Agency.

Those who cannot stay

Participants

Information

To the report

Those who cannot stay: Implementing return policy in Sweden