This action is funded by the European Union

Transcription

1 This action is funded by the European Union ANNEX 1 of the Commission Implementing Decision on the Annual Action Programme 2015 for the Migration and Asylum Programme under the Global Public Goods and Challenges thematic programme Action Document for 'Pilot action on voluntary return and sustainable, communitybased reintegration' 1. Title/basic act/ CRIS number 2. Zone benefiting from the action/location 3. Programming document 4. Sector of concentration/ thematic area 5. Amounts concerned 6. Aid modality(ies) and implementation modality(ies) 7 a) DAC code(s) Main Delivery Channel 8. Markers (from CRIS DAC form) Pilot action on voluntary return and sustainable, community-based reintegration', CRIS number: 2015 / financed under the Development Cooperation Instrument Global action with particular focus on Africa Multiannual Indicative Programme Global Public Goods and Challenges Migration and Asylum Migration and Asylum DEV. Aid: YES Total estimated cost: EUR 15 million Total maximum amount of EU budget contribution EUR 15 million Project Modality Direct Management Pillar Assessed (PA) Grant Agreement - direct award with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) International Organization for Migration: General policy objective Not targeted Significant objective Main objective Participation development/good x governance Aid to environment x Gender equality (including Women In Development) x Trade Development x [1]

2 9. Global Public Goods and Challenges (GPGC) thematic flagships Reproductive, Maternal, New born and child health RIO Convention markers x Not targeted Significant objective Biological diversity x Combat desertification x Climate change mitigation x Climate change adaptation x N/A Main objective SUMMARY The return of migrants without a legal right to stay in host countries is an integral part of an effective migration management system and governed by law in most countries. Reintegration is an essential part of return migration, as it protects and empowers returnees by providing them with the necessary tools and assistance for their successful reinsertion into the society of their country of origin, while generally contributing to the sustainability of return. In recent years increased efforts, including in the EU, have been made towards improving return and reintegration processes, with the aim to ensure adequate and tailored assistance is made available to returnees with the overall aim to make reintegration sustainable. Through an innovative and comprehensive approach, the Action will promote sustainable return and reintegration in up to three migration corridors, with a specific focus on priority partner countries in Africa and Asia. With close involvement of national and local authorities in both destination and origin target countries, activities will include capacity building and assistance along the full return and reintegration process with the overall aim to ensure a successful and sustainable system for return and reintegration. 1 CONTEXT 1.1 Thematic area Return is a key component of migration management in many host countries and high on the agenda for the European Union. It is a complex issue with many different dimensions, as return can feature in the migration cycle of migrants with any kind of status. Persons with no legal right to remain in a country, and who receives a return decision, are obliged to leave that country voluntarily. In case, for different reasons, this decision is not respected, the person (e.g. irregular migrants or failed asylum seekers) can be forcibly returned to his/her country of origin, as long as relevant human rights standards are respected and the persons are not in need of asylum. This is an option which is used by many destination countries around the world. For example, in 2006 South Africa deported 266,067 [2]

3 migrants 1, primarily to neighbouring countries. Mexico, which receives a sizeable number of irregular transit migrants on their way to the United States, forcibly returned over 120,000 migrants in Alternatively, irregularly residing migrants can benefit from assisted voluntary return programmes. Voluntary forms of return are both more humane, allowing irregular migrants to return with greater dignity, and are more cost-effective for the state. Thus, the voluntary form should be the preferred option for all involved. Voluntary return is offered by host governments to migrants without a legal right to stay, often coupled with a reintegration package to support their re-establishment in the society of their country of origin. Each year thousands of migrants, unable or unwilling to stay in the host country, choose to voluntarily return to their country of origin. Voluntary return can also benefit migrants who have residence rights to remain in a destination country but choose to return home. Common motivations for doing so can include reuniting with family members, the completion of an individual migration 'project', a wish to contribute to the development of the country of origin or a desire to take advantage of new economic opportunities there. However, unless the factors that push people to emigrate or flee in the first place are addressed, a considerable number of migrants will return to situations of vulnerability, and many look at irregular and unsafe remigration options due to unsustainable living conditions at home. Most migrants invest substantial efforts and resources into making migration possible, and in cases where they are not allowed to remain in the host country options may be limited to: (a) overstaying, which can lead to exclusion and exploitation; (b) attempts at regularising their stay; (c) voluntary return; and (d) forced return. Reintegration is an essential part of return migration, as it protects and empowers returnees by providing them with the necessary tools and assistance necessary for their successful reinsertion into the society of their country of origin, while generally contributing to the sustainability of return. It has gained prominence in recent years, including in the debate on the nexus between migration and development, and numerous efforts have been made towards improving policies and making assistance more effective to those in need. Reintegration assistance can range from limited, one-time reinstallation grants provided directly to the individual migrants (micro level), to a variety of institutional economic and social assistance measures (macro level). Some form of reintegration assistance is normally included in the voluntary return 'package' offered by the host country, and implemented by international or non-governmental organisations, with or without the involvement of the authorities of the country of origin. With regard to the return of persons without the right to stay in the EU, statistics demonstrate that there is a considerable gap between the persons issued with a return decision and those who, as a consequence, have left the EU. According to Eurostat, approximately persons in EU Member States were issued with a return decision in 2013, of whom around have left. There are multiple reasons for this gap, including in particular lack of cooperation from the non-eu country of origin or transit. Through the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), the EU provides for a financial support mechanism to Member States, to help address their challenges in the area of return management. Support under this 1 Source: South African Department of Home Affairs 2 Source: [3]

4 programme include a wide range of measures which put increasing emphasis on voluntary return programmes and compliance with common standards of the Return Directive, including humane and dignified detention conditions and promotion of sustainable return and reintegration Key elements of sustainable return include voluntary return advice, tailor-made return support, efficient reintegration assistance and information about the possibilities for legal migration. Relevant governmental and non-governmental actors, including in particular the International Organization for Migration (IOM), have played an important role in facilitating voluntary departure by carrying out Assisted Voluntary Return (AVR) programmes providing comprehensive return assistance, including activities aimed at ensuring sustainable reintegration in countries of origin. Irregular migrants from Sub-Saharan countries often end up stranded in transit countries on their journey towards Europe. Compared to the situation in the EU, these migrants are particularly vulnerable as they may not be able to receive the information and support for voluntary return and reintegration back to their home countries, even when they have decided to go back Public Policy Assessment and EU Policy Framework Return and reintegration is a multi-faceted phenomenon, which can take different forms and features in the migration cycle of any kind of migrant. The policy framework in this area covers various dimensions of return and reintegration, applying to: migrants with no legal right to remain in a country (e.g. irregular migrants or failed asylum seekers) who are returned as part of the immigration policy of receiving States; refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are assisted in voluntary returning or repatriating as a durable solution; skilled migrants whose return is supported as part of the broader migration and development agenda on diaspora engagement, brain drain and circular migration; temporary and circular labour migrants and other categories (e.g. students); other specific vulnerable groups in need of return and reintegration assistance. There is no consolidated definition of either return or reintegration at the international level. However, return can be defined as a process of going back, permanently or temporarily, to a country of origin or transit. Sustainable return of migrants back to their origin countries is an important aspect of comprehensive migration management. Both origin and destination countries support a wide range of policies and programmes intended to facilitate sustainable return. These include programmes that assist migrants who opt to go back to their countries of origin, by facilitating their economic and social reintegration. EU policy framework The EU has an advanced policy framework for external relations and development cooperation on migration. The Agenda for Change recognises strengthening positive synergies between migration and development as a priority issue for external cooperation, whereas the EU's Global Approach to Migration and Mobility underlines the importance of setting up mutually beneficial partnerships with non-eu countries and includes migration and development as one of its four priority areas. The EU Policy Coherence for Development agenda also recognises migration as a priority area where enhanced action is needed. The 2013 Communication on Maximising the Development Impact of Migration, stressed the role of effective migration governance in maximising the positive and limiting the [4]

5 negative impacts of migration on development, and underlined the need for a broader and more ambitious approach in this area. This was reiterated in the December 2014 Council conclusions on Migration in EU Development Cooperation, which supported the inclusion of migration in the post-2015 agenda and asked for greater ambition in the area of migration and development at EU level. In the particular area of return and reintegration, the 2014 Communication on EU Return Policy and the European Council Conclusions of June 2015 are also relevant. Finally, the main objective of the European Agenda on Migration, adopted on 13 May 2015, is to approach migration in a comprehensive way and to mainstream migration into all relevant policy areas, both internal and external. The first part of the European Agenda on Migration defines immediate measures to prevent human tragedies and to reinforce mechanisms to deal with emergencies. The Agenda also defines a new strategic approach to better manage migration in the medium- to long-term, building on four pillars: 1) reducing the incentives for irregular migration; 2) saving lives and securing the external borders; 3) a strong common asylum policy; 4) a new policy on legal migration. The external aspects of migration are a cross-cutting issue in the European Agenda on Migration, and EU support, including from development cooperation, will directly contribute to the implementation of the Agenda, complementing the actions focusing on the EU internal aspects. The area of sustainable return and reintegration is among the priorities of the Agenda. In particular it refers to the need to support third countries to meet their readmission obligations by offering capacity building for the management of returns, information and awareness raising campaigns and support for reintegration measures. The Agenda also includes support to multipurpose migration centres, which should include voluntary return and reintegration support. In recent years, considerable progress has been made towards putting in place a consistent legal framework for return measures in Member States across the Union, notably with the adoption of the Return Directive. The Directive s aim is to ensure that the return of third country nationals without legal grounds to stay in the EU is carried out effectively, through fair and transparent procedures that fully respect the fundamental rights and dignity of the people concerned. In order for EU return policy to be effective, cooperation with non-eu countries is key. This is the reason why the EU co-operates actively with origin countries, in particular through so called Readmission Agreements. There are currently 17 such EU Readmission Agreements in force while several others are under negotiation. These agreements set out clear obligations and procedures for the authorities of the non-eu country and of Member States as to when and how to take back people who are irregularly residing. They aim at improving cooperation between administrations and can only be used after a return decision has been made in accordance with the procedural guarantees set by the Return Directive and the relevant EU asylum rules. Actions in this field implemented under EU development cooperation aims primarily at supporting and capacitating partner countries to better implement voluntary return and reintegration in a way that maximises its development impact Stakeholder analysis The target groups of the action are: [5]

6 Government authorities at national and local levels in transit/destination countries who will benefit from improved capacities and expertise as well as strengthened cooperation networks to address the pre-departure and voluntary return process. Government authorities at national and local levels in origin countries who will benefit from improved capacities and mechanisms as well as strengthened cooperation networks to manage the reintegration process of their own nationals in a sustainable manner. Civil society organisations and social partners in both transit/destination and origin countries who will benefit from improved capacities and strengthened cooperation networks among stakeholders engaged in support to returnees, especially at the local level Communities of return/origin and of high-out migration will benefit from communitybased projects as a complement to individual reintegration assistance, leading to improved governance, service delivery, sustainable livelihood opportunities, stability, and cohesion. Community members, including potential migrants, will also benefit from increased options/opportunities to stay in their community rather than migrate irregularly. The actual returnees who will benefit from support and assistance for a sustainable reintegration into their origin country Priority areas for support/problem analysis Return and reintegration processes, including from the EU, are often established or supported with limited involvement of government authorities in both countries of destination/transit and origin, but rather focusing on one-off support to individual migrants, including by provision of cash-grants. The support is often provided in parallel to existing government systems for socio-economic support, like vocational education and training, programmes for entrepreneurship, microfinance etc. The support is also often provided only to returnees, whereas this assistance is not available to other citizens in host communities, leading to unbalanced and preferred treatment of returnees compared to citizens who stayed at home. This approach hampers the sustainability and therefore the success of the overall return and reintegration process and limits the possibility for governments, who ultimately bear the responsibility for migrants residing on their territory (in countries of transit/destination) and their citizens (in countries of origin), to be involved or take the lead of the process. To address these challenges and to promote successful and sustainable return and reintegration processes, the Action will be implemented as a pilot initiative, aiming at elaborating and implementing a comprehensive and sustainable process of voluntary return and reintegration in a selected number of transit/destination and origin countries, following to the extent possible a migration corridor approach. An initial inception phase will identify pilot countries along two to three migration routes on the basis of a qualitative and quantitative assessment of migration flows as well as the interest and commitment of participating countries to cooperate in the field of voluntary return and reintegration. The final selection of the pilot countries/corridors will be made by the Project Steering Committee at the end of the inception phase. The main focus of the Action will be on capacity building for governments, promoting the institutionalisation and integration of the return and reintegration process into existing national services and systems, to avoid the potential for fragmentation and parallel systems. Target countries of the Action will be transit/destination countries outside of the EU and origin countries mainly in Africa and Asia. Coherence and complementarity with return and reintegration activities implemented by EU Member States will be ensured. [6]

7 2 RISKS AND ASSUMPTIONS Risks Lack of political will and commitment from the beneficiary countries to work on migration and development in the context of return Structural changes at national and local government level, including regular turnover of staff. Instability, security, changing government priorities, including the risk of politicisation of migration Interest of and access to returnees and their communities to engage in monitoring and participation in reintegration and development-oriented initiatives Assumptions Risk level (H/M/L) M M M M Mitigating measures The Action will include awareness raising and continued information exchange, based on evidence, regarding the benefits for countries to engage in sustainable return and reintegration at national and local level. From the outset, the implementing partner will ensure close cooperation with stakeholders, and if necessary convene meetings at high level to address the issue. During inception these aspects will be carefully considered and mapped. Activities will be carried out in carefully selected pilot corridors. Continued awareness raising and information exchange, based on evidence, will be part of the Action, including in particular at local government and community level. The Action is based on the assumption that national and local authorities in selected pilot corridors are committed to promote sustainable voluntary return and reintegration and willing to engage in the implementation of the activities, and receptive to the recommendations provided. 3 LESSONS LEARNT, COMPLEMENTARITY AND CROSS-CUTTING ISSUES 3.1 Lessons learnt Lessons learned from other EU implemented Actions in the area of voluntary return and reintegration will be carefully taken into account during the elaboration of the detailed action description and its implementation. In particular, the findings and results of the EU funded 'Study on the results and impact of EU funded projects in the area of voluntary return and reintegration', will feed into the current Action and its approach. The overall objective of this study, with results expected in November 2015, is to assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of voluntary return projects funded under the DCI Thematic Programme on Migration and Asylum, as well as other EU development instruments such as ENPI and EDF. In addition, it will assess the extent to which the projects have reached the objectives and how their performance can be improved. The results of this overall independent assessment should serve as a contribution and guidance for the European Commission involved services and will provide practical recommendations for improving the approach taken in any future actions. In addition, IOM, as the selected implementing partner, has extensive experience in implementing comprehensive Assisted Voluntary Return and Reintegration (AVRR) programmes in partnership with sending, transit and receiving countries. This experience has highlighted the importance of attention to the individual and specific needs of returning migrants, their families and their communities, capacity of countries at national and local levels along the migration route and the availability of migration data. With regard to the [7]

8 needs of returnees, experience has shown that the success and sustainability of their return to countries of origin depends heavily on the inclusion of adequate reintegration support. At the same time, this support needs to be tailored to the situation of the specificities in the country of return and in local communities. In many countries of destination and transit along main migration routes, the high demand for assisted voluntary return and reintegration and the lack of available funding has limited the reintegration support offered to migrants in the past, making it difficult for returnees to reintegrate properly and sustainably in the countries of origin concerned. Moreover, and very importantly, experience has shown the need to strengthen reintegration services in close partnership with the existing governmental and non-state service providers in the countries of origin and accompany these services with capacity-building measures for these actors, including on mainstreaming returnee support in the overall labour market activation, social and health service delivery frameworks. This aspect is particularly important in ensuring sustainability of the support, and facilitating the strengthening of the state functions and responsibilities in the area of reintegration. Furthermore, while individual reintegration assistance is helpful for returning migrants it cannot, by itself, address all the needs that returnees may have. Reintegration assistance should not only be aimed at helping migrants to reintegrate into society, but should also place the assistance in a wider context that includes the family (where relevant) and the community. By addressing the needs and concerns of the families and communities of migrants, such assistance can help tackle the drivers of irregular migration, as well as avoid creating disadvantages for the local (non-migrant) population through the assistance offered to returnees. In many contexts, the degree of success of individual reintegration highly depends on the active engagement of families and communities in local development initiatives that complement and support the reintegration of returnees. AVRR programmes have increasingly begun assessing the needs of local communities and addressing them through the individual reintegration projects. IOM s community-based approach has been a cornerstone in its many recovery, transition, stabilization and sustainable reintegration programmes and has demonstrated the importance of an inclusive participatory approach, engaging community members, returnees, vulnerable persons, traditional leaders, representatives of women and youth groups, and local authorities, to identify their needs and develop, implement and monitor community projects. This process has been essential in the promotion of constructive dialogue, governance, empowerment, ownership and sustainability. IOM projects that have been designed and implemented through a community-based approach have shown to successfully empower local structures, improve social service delivery, regenerate economic opportunity, and enhance social cohesion at community level. In addition, the increasing number of vulnerable migrants (such as Unaccompanied Migrant Children (UAMs), Victims of Trafficking (VoTs) or migrants with health conditions) identified in transit and destination countries requires particular support for temporary direct assistance before departure. Given the still relatively weak structure for direct assistance for migrants in an irregular situation in the target countries, it is crucial to support local partners who provide shelter or social assistance to vulnerable migrants. The reintegration of [8]

9 vulnerable migrants in receiving countries requires additional efforts and tailored approaches that take into account their specific needs. Adequate monitoring of returned migrants in countries of origin and evaluation of activities implemented must also be in place in order to draw lessons, address gaps and further strengthen future reintegration projects. Finally, a comprehensive and sustainable response to the needs of returning migrants requires that individual and community-level assistance to migrants is complemented by measures to strengthen national and local governmental and non-governmental actors awareness, data collection, information provision and institutional capacity with the medium and longer term aims of ensuring rights-based migration management policies in sending, transit and receiving countries. 3.2 Complementarity, synergy and donor coordination The EU is implementing a number of projects in the field of voluntary return and reintegration, and the current action will ensure complementarity and synergies with these, depending on the migration corridors/countries selected during inception. In addition, the Action will concretely contribute to the implementation of the Valletta Declaration and Action Plan, and will need to closely coordinate with any other relevant action in the Valletta implementation framework. Of particular relevance is the 5 million project 'Addressing the needs of stranded and vulnerable migrants in targeted sending, transit and receiving countries', implemented by IOM in Morocco, Tanzania and Yemen, which like the current Action take an inclusive capacity building approach, closely involving concerned national authorities in partner countries. The current Action should also ensure synergies with the 10 million project 'Support the reintegration of returnees and the management of labour migration in Ethiopia', implemented by the International Labour Organisation. This project focuses on improving the reintegration system for Ethiopian returnees, improving access to legal migration through enhanced capacity of relevant government institutions and the provision of awareness-raising about migration. Finally, complementarity and close coordination needs to be ensured with the 5 million 'EU Readmission Facility', to be implemented by IOM and funded under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF). The objective of this Facility is to support capacity-building in relevant third countries (including in Africa) to implement EU Readmission agreements. Also under AMIF, the EU is supporting actions on return and reintegration implemented directly by EU Member States under shared management within their respective national programmes. When these activities are implemented in the same countries selected by the current Action, coherence and synergies need to be sought. Donor coordination will be ensured at two levels: in Brussels headquarters and also at field level, including with relevant EU Delegations. EU Member States will be kept duly informed by the Commission where appropriate, in particular in the relevant Council working groups and dedicated meetings that will be organised as part of the action's activities. In target countries of the Action, donor coordination, including with other relevant non-eu donors, will be ensured through the project team and also through the EU Delegations, particularly in [9]

10 the frame of existing formal and informal donor coordination setting. In addition, donor coordination will be sought at a more international level through IOM. 3.3 Cross-cutting issues Cross cutting issues, such as gender, human rights and good governance will be carefully considered and taken into account throughout the implementation process. Given the fact that women make out close to 50% of migrants worldwide, and their vulnerability in the migration process is particularly serious, careful attention will be put on gender concerns. The different roles of women and men in community-based interventions, reintegration processes and livelihoods and development programmes are important to recognize and thus ensuring their inclusive and equitable participation in decision making processes and project implementation and monitoring will be key in this programme. Given the nature of the action, the protection of human rights and due process will be an integral part of the activities carried out. Protection of human rights of particularly vulnerable categories of migrants, such as children, unaccompanied minors, disabled persons, victims of trafficking or smuggling and rejected asylum seekers will also need to be particularly considered. Sustainability and empowerment are core cross-cutting issues that are promoted throughout the community-based interventions, which ensure inclusive participation from the initial phase of identifying priorities and needs throughout the project design, implementation and monitoring phases. The systems, dynamics and changes in attitude that result from such processes have shown to be sustainable, continuing beyond the end of the project. 4 DESCRIPTION OF THE ACTION 4.1 Objectives/results The overall objective of the Action is to promote sustainable voluntary return and reintegration. Specific objectives: To build national capacities to enhance and facilitate a sustainable return and reintegration process; To contribute to improving migration management in selected countries through the provision of voluntary return and reintegration assistance to migrants in an irregular situation in close cooperation with national and local authorities; To increase local capacity in selected communities of origin to contribute to address key vulnerabilities and drivers of irregular migration (in key priority areas for the returnees and the local population alike). To enhance the sustainability of reintegration assistance by promoting returnees economic, social and psychological re-inclusion in their communities of origin and by re-establishing a sense of trust between returnees, communities and local authorities. 4.2 Main activities The Action will be implemented as a pilot initiative, aiming at elaborating and implementing a comprehensive and more sustainable process of voluntary return and reintegration in a selected number of transit/destination and origin countries, following to the extent possible a migration corridor approach. [10]

11 Inception phase: An initial inception phase will identify pilot countries along two to three migration routes on the basis of a qualitative and quantitative assessment of migration flows as well as the interest and commitment of participating countries to cooperate in the field of voluntary return and reintegration. Other factors to be considered are the depth of political dialogue with the EU and other possible issues related to the relationship and cooperation with the EU. Focus will be given to migration corridors in Africa and Asia, aiming in particular to further develop and/or pilot innovative approaches to enhance the sustainability and facilitate the development impact of reintegration through intervention at institutional, community and individual levels. Based on assessments during the inception phase, the final selection of the pilot countries/corridors will be made by the Project Steering Committee at the end of the inception phase. Assessments: - Detailed localised assessments will be undertaken in selected countries to identify the main communities of return and of high outward irregular migration. This will provide information/data to develop community profiles, including information on key areas such as governance, access to justice, access to, and delivery of, basic services, labour market opportunities, access to land and secure land tenure as well as factors that drive irregular migration. Activities could also include socio-economic profiling of community members, market assessment including (self)-employment opportunities, and assessment of existing gaps and key factors that contribute to reintegration after return and prevention of irregular movements. - At the institutional level, an assessment will be carried out to look at the legislative and policy frameworks and existing programmes relevant to return and reintegration as well as linkages to existing development programmes at national and local levels. - Community level interventions will be based from the above community profiles as well as on the outcomes of the discussions between community members, returnees, local authorities, private sector etc. with the facilitation/technical guidance of IOM. Stakeholders will lead the process in identifying priority needs and on how they want to design and implement community projects. - Tailored individual level assistance will be based on each person s reintegration needs and vulnerabilities of returning migrants and their families. This will also be based on the identification of beneficiaries needs, concerns and expectations towards reintegration. Technical assistance and capacity building of governmental and non-governmental actors at both the national and local level in the field of return, readmission and reintegration, ensuring ownership of the reintegration process by relevant national stakeholders. Based on the assessments and in consultation with key stakeholders, this support could include technical assistance to inter alia, improve the capacities for identification of persons in a position to be returned, the development of reintegration strategies and action plans as well as training and peer learning programmes to benefit from the experience of other countries and regions with established return and reintegration approaches. Mapping and information provision on existing opportunities and service delivery for reintegration: Existing assistance and access to basic services available to returnees and members of their home communities should be mapped out, including vocational training and job placement, support for business set-up, medical and psychosocial assistance, education [11]

12 and housing. Information materials should be developed and disseminated through a variety of channels, and a mechanism should be put in place to inform potential returnees in countries of transit about these opportunities and refer them to these services after return, whenever possible. Individual return & reintegration support: Complementing existing services available in the countries of origin, tailored individual assistance should be provided to returnees and, as feasible, linked to community-level initiatives. A Big brother/sister scheme could be set-up to accompany returnees in their reintegration process and promote their active socio-economic role within the community. This mentoring system would improve relationships with families and communities, build a sense of self-worth and belonging which in turn can lead to enhanced prospects for reintegration. Community empowerment, stabilisation and development: A small grants mechanism will be considered for targeted high return areas for community-driven programming to promote stability, ensure sustainability of returns and provide options for potential migrants to stay. An inclusive participatory approach (including participation from returnees, community members, local authorities, traditional leaders, representatives of women and/or youth groups, vulnerable persons, etc.) will provide a platform during which priority needs are identified and projects are designed, implemented and monitored. Such a process contributes to engagement, dialogue, confidence building, and empowerment. Knowledge management and common tools: Exchange of experience and lessons learned will be supported throughout the project, with the aim to develop and disseminate tools to support partner countries in the development of sustainable voluntary return and reintegration programmes in the context of national and local development programmes and planning. These tools could also include the elaboration of general guidance to promote best practices in the area of return to be used beyond the pilot countries/regions. Monitoring and Evaluation: Baseline assessments, monitoring and evaluation will be undertaken systematically during the project and at each level of intervention. All activities will be closely monitored and evaluated to assess outputs, outcomes and possible up-scaling in other areas of the country or in other countries. The effectiveness of the assistance offered to returnees will be regularly reviewed, considering the sustainability of reintegration activities. 4.3 Intervention logic The detailed intervention logic will be elaborated and included in the contract documents and further verified during the inception phase of the Action. 5 IMPLEMENTATION 5.1 Financing agreement In order to implement this action, it is not foreseen to conclude a financing agreement with the partner country, referred to in Article 184(2)(b) of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012. [12]

13 5.2 Indicative implementation period The indicative operational implementation period of this action, during which the activities described in section 4.1 will be carried out and the corresponding contracts and agreements implemented, is 48 months from the date of the adoption by the Commission of this Action Document. Extensions of the implementation period may be agreed by the Commission s authorising officer responsible by amending this decision and the relevant contracts and agreements; such amendments to this decision constitute technical amendments in the sense of point (i) of Article 2(3)(c) of Regulation (EU) No 236/ Implementation modalities Grant: direct award - direct management with the International Organisation for Migration This action will be implemented through a direct award to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM). (a) Objectives of the grant, fields of intervention, priorities of the year and expected results See above section 4.1 and 4.2 (b) Justification of a direct grant Under the responsibility of the Commission s authorising officer responsible, the grant will be awarded without a call for proposals to the International Organization for Migration. Under the responsibility of the Commission s authorising officer responsible, the recourse to an award of a grant without a call for proposals is justified because the action has specific characteristics requiring a specific type of beneficiary for its technical competence, specialisation or administrative power (Article 190(1)(f) RAP). The choice of a direct grant with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) is justified by its high degree of technical competence, specialisation and administrative capacity in the field of country specific regulatory and policy framework related to voluntary return and reintegration of migrants in their origin countries. IOM has also renewed its Framework Administrative Agreement with the European Union in 2015 on the basis of its successful completion of the seven-pillar review. Assisted voluntary return and reintegration has been an area of IOM expertise developed through 35 years of experience. Since 1979, with the establishment of the German Reintegration and Emigration Programme for Asylum Seekers in Germany, IOM s AVRR activities have grown to include more than 100 projects, helping individuals return to some 170 countries worldwide. In the past decade alone, IOM has assisted upwards of 400,000 migrants to return voluntarily to their home countries. IOM, furthermore, has strong experience implementing projects to support sustainable community-based return and reintegration and designing programmes that promote cohesion and governance in countries in transition and recovery such as the Central African Republic, Sudan, Chad, Ukraine, South Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Niger. [13]

14 IOM implements AVRR from and to an ever-increasing number of countries and supports reintegration activities in many countries of origin. Increasingly, IOM has noted that there is a significant and growing need to assist migrants in transit countries who are unwilling or unable to continue their journey and would like to return to their countries of origin. At a policy level, IOM currently plays a key role within different discussion fora and return expert groups, notably within the European Migration Network (EMN) Intergovernmental Consultation on Migration, Asylum and Refugees (IGC) and the EU s Return Expert Group (REG) where its expertise on return is shared with various EU Member States. IOM has already implemented numerous projects in the area of voluntary return and reintegration as well as community-based programming with the European Commission s support which has shown good results. IOM is the leading organisation on these topics and is actively involved in donor coordination in this field. (c) Maximum rate of co-financing The maximum possible rate of co-financing for this grant is 100% of the eligible costs of the action. In accordance with Articles 192 of Regulation (EU, Euratom) No 966/2012, if full funding is essential for the action to be carried out, the maximum possible rate of co-financing may be increased up to 100 %. The essentiality of full funding will be justified by the Commission s authorising officer responsible in the award decision, in respect of the principles of equal treatment and sound financial management. (d) Indicative trimester to conclude the grant agreement 1st trimester of The budget of the above mentioned direct grant is still under negotiation with the beneficiary Should the total budget available be not fully granted to IOM as a result of the budget analysis, the remaining part could be used to finance projects selected in the frame of the call for proposals for the implementation of the Rome Programme (Arabt Process) whose scope is defined in the Action Document n. 2 of the AAP Indicative timing to launch the call for proposals: 1 st trimester of Scope of geographical eligibility for procurement and grants The geographical eligibility in terms of place of establishment for participating in procurement and grant award procedures and in terms of origin of supplies purchased as established in the basic act and set out in the relevant contractual documents shall apply. The Commission s authorising officer responsible may extend the geographical eligibility in accordance with Article 9(2)(b) of Regulation (EU) No 236/2014 on the basis of urgency or of unavailability of products and services in the markets of the countries concerned, or in other duly substantiated cases where the eligibility rules would make the realisation of this action impossible or exceedingly difficult. [14]

15 5.5 Indicative budget Direct management grant (budget to be confirmed still under negotiation with the beneficiary) Call for Proposals (for the remaining part of the budget) EU contribution (amount in EUR) Evaluation External Audit (will be covered by another decision) Communication and visibility Indicative third party contribution, in currency identified Totals Organisational set-up and responsibilities The implementation of this project will be coordinated and led by IOM, who may work with relevant non-governmental organisations. In addition, IOM should draw on EU Member States' practical expertise for the implementation of relevant parts of the Action. A project steering committee will be established to provide overall strategic guidance and to assess and if necessary, adapt activities. The composition of the steering committee will be agreed between the Commission and IOM and further detailed in the contract documents. It will be co-chaired by a senior official of IOM and the Commission, with participation from the relevant beneficiary country governments and other relevant stakeholders, such as partners and non-governmental organisations. The Steering Committee will meet once a year, but the frequency of its meetings will be adjusted as necessary. 5.7 Performance monitoring and reporting The day-to-day technical and financial monitoring of the implementation of this action will be a continuous process and part of the implementing partner s responsibilities. To this aim, the implementing partner shall establish a permanent internal, technical and financial monitoring system for the action and elaborate regular progress reports and final reports. Every report shall provide an accurate account of implementation of the action, challenges and difficulties encountered, changes introduced, as well as the degree of achievement of results as measured by corresponding indicators, using as reference the log frame matrix. The report shall be structured in such a way as to allow easy monitoring of the means envisaged and employed and of the budget details for the action. The final report, narrative and financial, will cover the entire implementation period of the action. [15]

16 The Commission may undertake additional project monitoring visits both through its own staff and through independent consultants recruited directly by the Commission for independent monitoring reviews (or recruited by the responsible agent contracted by the Commission for implementing such reviews). 5.8 Evaluation Having regard to the nature of the action, a final evaluation will be carried out for this action or its components via independent consultants. This evaluation will be carried out for accountability and learning purposes at various levels, taking into account in particular the efficient and effective aspects of the action in directly supporting voluntary return and sustainable reintegration at individual level as well as for assessing how the action has been contributing to sustainable development and more directly to which dimensions of economic and social development in beneficiary countries. The evaluation reports shall be shared with the relevant partner country authorities and other key stakeholders. The implementing partner and the Commission shall analyse the conclusions and recommendations of the evaluation and, where appropriate, in agreement with the partner country, jointly decide on the follow-up actions to be taken and any adjustments necessary, including, if indicated, the reorientation of the project. 5.9 Audit Without prejudice to the obligations applicable to contracts concluded for the implementation of this action, the Commission may, on the basis of a risk assessment, contract independent audits or expenditure verification assignments for one or several contracts or agreements. The financing of the audit or expenditure verification assignments shall be covered by another measure constituting a separate financing decision Communication and visibility Communication and visibility of the EU is a legal obligation for all external actions funded by the EU. This action shall contain communication and visibility measures based on a specific Communication and Visibility Plan of the Action, to be elaborated at the start of implementation and supported with the budget indicated in section 5.5 above. Given the nature of the action, careful consideration will be made for the type of communication and visibility activities to be carried out. In terms of legal obligations on communication and visibility, the measures shall be implemented by the Commission, the partner country, contractors, grant beneficiaries and/or entrusted entities. Appropriate contractual obligations shall be included in, respectively, the financing agreement, procurement and grant contracts, and delegation agreements. The Communication and Visibility Manual for European Union External Action shall be used to establish the Communication and Visibility Plan of the Action and the appropriate contractual obligations. [16]

17 [APPENDIX - INDICATIVE LOGFRAME MATRIX (FOR PROJECT MODALITY) 3 ] The activities, the expected outputs and all the indicators, targets and baselines included in the logframe matrix are indicative and may be updated during the implementation of the action without an amendment to the financing decision. The indicative logframe matrix will evolve during the lifetime of the action: new lines will be added for listing the activities as well as new columns for intermediary targets (milestones) when it is relevant and for reporting purpose on the achievement of results as measured by indicators. Overall objective: Impact Specific objective(s): Outcome(s) Outputs Intervention logic Indicators Baselines (incl. reference year) The broader, long-term change which will stem from a number of interventions by the partner government and development partners, which the EU funded action will (indirectly) influence. The medium-term effects of the action which tend to focus on the changes in behaviour resulting from project/ programme outputs. The EU funded action will contribute to these changes. The direct/tangible outputs (infrastructure, goods and services) delivered by the action. These can be controlled directly and as such can be linked to the donor funded assistance. Measures the long-term change at country or sector level. For example, literacy rate disaggregated by sex. However, it is normally not appropriate for the project itself to try and collect this information. Measures the change in factors determining the outcome. For example, number of children enrolled/completing school disaggregated by sex. Measures the degree of delivery of the outputs. For example, number of schools built and teachers trained disaggregated by sex. Ideally, to be drawn from the partner's strategy The starting point or current value of the Idem as above for the corresponding Targets (incl. reference year) Ideally, to be drawn from the partner's strategy The intended value of the Idem as above for the corresponding Sources and means of verification To be drawn from the partner's strategy. Sources of information and methods used to collect and report (including who and when/how frequently). Idem as above for the corresponding Assumptions Factors outside project management's control that may impact on the outcome-impact linkage. Factors outside project management's control that may impact on the output-outcome linkage. 3 Mark indicators aligned with the relevant programming document mark with '*' and indicators aligned to the EU Results Framework with '**'. [17]