“FORCED RETURN MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM OF 2016-2018”

Budget: 169.500 €

Financing program: National Programme «Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund 2014-2020»

Call: CALL FOR PROPOSALS TO THE NATIONAL PROGRAM FOR CALENDAR YEARS 2016-2018. SPECIAL OBJECTIVE OF "REPATRIATION".

NATIONAL OBJECTIVE "SUPPLEMENTING MEASURES", OF THE EUROPEAN ASYLUM, MIGRATION AND INTEGRATION FUND, WITH TITLE " FORCED RETURN MONITORING AND CONTROL SYSTEM" (ref 5/2016)

Funding body: Hellenic Parliament

Implementing body: European Programs Implementation Service (EPIS) of the Hellenic Parliament – Independent Authority "Greek Ombudsman "

Duration: 10 months

Summary

The Independent Authority of the Greek Ombudsman, under article 23 par. 6 of Law 3907/11, is entrusted with the external monitoring of the forced removal of third-country nationals to their country of origin, as a basic guarantee not only of the legality and transparency of the process, but also, of safeguarding the rights of third-country nationals.

Objectives 

The implementation of the Action aims to develop and operate a credible external monitoring system, which will contribute to the required accountability and transparency of the Hellenic Police’s forced return procedures and ultimately to  the credibility and the improved efficiency of the forced returns system with respect to the legality and the guarantee of fundamental human rights, in full compliance with the requirements of Directive 2008/115 / EC.

Results

The operation of a credible and effective mechanism is a key guarantee of the legality and transparency of the forced return procedure, safeguarding the rights of third-country nationals in accordance with international rules and practices.

In line with this competence and the co-financed Action, the Greek Ombudsman implements the following:

(a) arranges on-site visits to pre-removal detention centers for the return of third-country nationals

(b) carries out the pre-removal monitoring with the participation of its officials, as observers, in the police forced removal operations of third-country nationals by land, air or sea;

(c) compiles and publishes, in Greek and English, annual and, if necessary, interim reports of the external return monitoring mechanism, as well as other information material;

(d) designs and implements educating and training programs for its officials involved in forced return procedures

(e) organizes informative events and workshops with all stakeholders involved in the processes or in the forced return strategy, being public bodies, the international community and the civil society.

Deliverable 1 

D1. Supervise visits, inspections and on-site reports, with the use of an interpreter where required, and the supply of communication equipment

D1.1 Quarterly Reports on the findings and conclusions of the on-site inspections carried out in the previous reporting quarter. A total of 8 reports in two years.

D1.2 Cover the interpretation needs of the 44 visits - inspections (22 per year), which will be confirmed on a case-by-case basis in the respective quarterly reports of the Ombudsman's auditors' conclusions and observations.

D1.3 Telecommunication equipment and connections [3 SMARTPHONES, 3 LAPTOPS, 3 TABLETS, 3 mobile and TABLETS connections for 24 months and one prepaid telecommunication card with the ability to communicate with the return states of foreigners (Pakistan, Armenia, Turkey, Georgia, Nigeria, etc.).

Deliverable 2

D2. Publications and informative material

D2.1 Two Annual Reports on the external return monitoring mechanism, in Greek and English (approximately 30 pages, 500 copies)

D2.2 Bilingual informative triplet brochure 6,000 copies

Deliverable 3

D3. Support actions

D3.1: Training Seminar File (2 in total)

Reports on attendance to seminars abroad or attendance certificates to trainings where applicable (6 x 2 people total 12).

D3.2: One-day Conference - meeting folder (2 in total).