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2.4 BEST PRACTICES AND LESSONS LEARNED
Why Programmes Have or Have not Worked
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LUXEMBOURG
Owing to the fact that, for a long time, forced returns were not organized and people could
continue to stay in the country without authorization, voluntary return has always been seen by
the migrants as the last option. This situation resulted in efforts by the government to provide
incentives to return, such as the initiatives in 2000 and 2001 to provide more reintegration
assistance to the migrants through provision of skills to establish small businesses.
The failure of the programme to make a significant impact on voluntary returns led to its discontinuation,
and the government’s decision in recent years to more actively enforce forced returns.
Cost Effectiveness Analysis
Specific resources are dedicated to migration issues within the Ministry of Family Affairs’
annual budget, in order to assist migrants to return to their countries of origin or residence. The
government of Luxembourg also has a special agreement on airfares with the airline LUXAIR,
to make removals more economical. Voluntary returns are organized mainly on commercial
flights (with the exception of specific charters for large groups).
Voluntary returns are usually carried out without the provision of escorts and compared to involuntary
return, voluntary return programmes are less expensive to operate mainly due to the fact
that escorts are not automatically provided.
The amount of financial assistance towards returns to countries of origin rose to EUR 550,112 in
2003, (excluding assistance to those returned to third countries). Financial assistance is given to
the head of each household at the time of departure, after check-in at Luxembourg airport. In
one illustrative case, the price of eight charter flights, transporting 497 persons was EUR 170,600
(approximately EUR 340 per person), while the cost of regular air fares for 124 persons was
EUR 71,246 (approximately EUR 574 per person); thus charter flights would seem to be more
cost effective.