EU Ombudsman: Fundamental rights and forced returns of migrants – Ombudsman opens investigation
The European Ombudsman, Emily O’Reilly, has opened an investigation into how Frontex ensures the respect of fundamental rights of migrants who are subject to forced returns from the EU to their countries of origin. The EU agency, based in Warsaw, co-ordinates and finances joint return operations (JROs) in co-operation with Member States. The Ombudsman sent Frontex a list of questions, including who has responsibility for the welfare of returnees during the flights and how can independent monitoring during JROs be guaranteed.
Emily O’Reilly stated: “Making sure that EU institutions respect fundamental rights is a key part of my role. By their very nature, forced return operations have the potential to involve serious violations of fundamental rights. Through this investigation, I want to find out how Frontex is equipped to deal with potential violations and how it minimises the risk of such violations.
