Forced Return - 20 Guidelines Adopted by the Committee of Ministers (Electronic book text)

National authorities in charge of elaborating or implementing the effective return of irregular migrants are often faced with sensitive and complex issues: how to ensure that no individual is sent back to a place where his/her life or security is at risk; under what conditions should detention pending removal be allowed; what information can be provided to the state of origin.This type of issue was, to a large extent, addressed by the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe when, on 4 May 2005, it adopted 20 guidelines on forced return. These guidelines offer a systematic overview of the standards developed in this field by the different bodies within the Council of Europe.The 20 guidelines on forced return serve as a practical guide to be used both by government officials and by all those directly or indirectly involved in return operations in Europe.