{"id":15847,"date":"2026-03-06T07:46:14","date_gmt":"2026-03-06T07:46:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.migpolgroup.com\/?p=15847"},"modified":"2026-04-03T13:36:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T13:36:24","slug":"mirex","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.migpolgroup.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/06\/mirex\/","title":{"rendered":"New Migrant Return Policy Index reveals major human rights gaps in European return policies"},"content":{"rendered":"
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<\/div>[vc_column_text]Brussels, 6 March 2026<\/strong> \u2013 A new comparative report launched today by the Migration Policy Group (MPG) finds that return policies across Europe remain far from fully aligned with human rights standards, at a time when return has become a central political priority across the EU.<\/p>\n

As the European Parliament prepares to vote next Monday on the new EU Return Regulation, the launch of the Migration Return Policy Index (MIREX)<\/a> <\/strong>comes at a decisive moment for Europe\u2019s return policy framework. The upcoming vote represents a turning point for the Parliament to reaffirm that human rights remain a foundational principle of EU migration policy and are not sidelined in the pursuit of enforcement objectives.<\/p>\n

Developed by MPG under the EU-funded Finding Agreement in Return (FAiR) project<\/a><\/strong>, MIREX provides a comparative, evidence-based assessment of return policies across 11 European countries. The index evaluates whether national laws ensure that returns are safe, dignified and sustainable, and offers a data-driven foundation to inform legislative debates at EU level.<\/p>\n

The findings show that the current return landscape across Europe is not only fragmented, but often structurally imbalanced, with coercive tools prioritised over rights protection, dignity and legitimacy. If EU return policy is to be credible, effective and fully aligned with fundamental rights obligations, a recalibration is necessary.<\/p>\n

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Key findings<\/strong><\/p>\n

Across the 11 countries assessed, MIREX identifies three overarching trends:<\/p>\n