Recommendations for the Return and Reintegration of Rejected Asylum Seekers - Lessons Learned from Returns to Kosovo

For some time, the issue of returning rejected asylum seekers residing in Western Europe to their country of origin has been placed highly on the political agenda of European Governments. The reasons are numerous, but often it comes down to increased xenophobia caused by failed integration and increasing numbers of asylum seekers who do not fulfil the criteria for a residence permit in the host country and who at the same time are difficult to return to countries of origin due to (post) conflict conditions. In the context of increasing political interest in this area, the importance of exploring ways to assist rejected asylum seekers to a humane, safe and sustainable return becomes increasingly important.
This report describes the lessons learned from various studies and activities aimed at facilitating sustainable return to Kosovo, with an attempt to develop a set of best practices for NGO-assisted mandatory return. The best practices presented here have been developed as a part of the project ‘Design and Facilitation of Sustainable Voluntary Return to Kosovo’ implemented by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) and the German organisation Bayerischer Flüchtlingsrat (BF) from 2006 to 2008. The project is co-financed by the European Community under the EU Return Preparatory Actions 005, and the best practices described will serve as recommendations to the development of the European Return Fund.