Glossary
The EMN Glossary – as one of the key products of the EMN - improves comparability by enabling a common understanding and use of terms and definitions relating to asylum and migration. The Glossary draws on a variety of sources, but primarily on the legislation of the EU asylum and immigration acquis, and makes terms available in the majority of EU Member State languages.
The online version is regularly updated and available in various languages.
- BG: задържан
- CZ: zajištěný cizinec
- DE: Häftling
- EE: kinnipeetav
- EN: detainee
- ES: detenido
- FI: säilöön otettu
- FR: personne retenue
- GA: duine atá á choinneáil
- GR: κρατουμένου
- HU: őrizetbevett (személy)
- IT: detenuto
- LT: sulaikytasis
- LV: aizturētais
- MT: Detenut(a)
- NL: gedetineerde (vreemdelingenbewaring gestelde persoon (NL) or persoon in vasthouding / opgesloten persoon (BE) in case of return)
- NO: innsatt (b) / innsett (n)
- PL: osoba zatrzymana
- SE: förvarstagen person
- SK: zaistená osoba
- SL: pripornik
- BG: репатриране
- CZ: repatriace
- DE: Repatriierung
- EE: tagasipöördumine (repatrieerumine)
- EN: repatriation
- ES: repatriación
- FI: paluu, palauttaminen
- FR: rapatriement
- GA: aisdúichiú
- GR: επαναπατρισμός
- HU: hazatelepítés
- IT: rimpatrio
- LT: repatriacija
- LV: repatriācija
- MT: Ripatrijazzjoni
- NL: repatriëring (NL syn.: naar het vaderland terugkeren / naar het vaderland terugbrengen)
- NO: repatriering
- PL: repatriacja
- PT: repatriamento
- RO: repatriere
- SE: återvandring
- SK: repatriácia
- SL: repatriacija
The personal right of a refugee or a prisoner of war to return to their country of nationality under specific conditions laid down in various international instruments and human rights instruments as well as in customary international law.
2. The option of repatriation is bestowed upon the individual personally and not upon the detaining power. In the law of international armed conflict, repatriation also entails the obligation of the detaining power to release eligible persons (soldiers and civilians) and the duty of the country of origin to receive its own nationals at the end of hostilities. Even if treaty law does not contain a general rule on this point, it is today readily accepted that the repatriation of prisoners of war and civil detainees has been consented to implicitly by the interested parties. Repatriation as a term also applies to diplomatic envoys and international officials in times of international crisis as well as expatriates and migrants.
3. Depending on the EU Member State, this term has different meanings / connotations: in PL, RO, NL, NO this refers specifically to repatriating their nationals back to PL, RO, NL, NO respectively. In ES, IE, IT, UK, it is often used in the context of returning third-country nationals to their country of origin. In EE, the term refers specifically to persons of Estonia or ethnic Estonians’ resettlement to Estonia. In LV, the term refers specifically to the persons of Latvian or Liiv origin to resettle with permanent residence in Latvia. In PT, the term has no legal concept, being used more as a sociological term. It is commonly used to refer to Portuguese citizens that return to Portugal, including being forced to return.
4. The term should not be confused with ‘voluntary repatriation’ which is according to the UNHCR International Thesaurus of Refugee Terminology defined as follows: ‘Return to the country of origin on the basis of the freely expressed willingness of the refugees’. The returns have to take place in conditions of safety, dignity and security. The principle of ‘voluntariness’ must be viewed in relation to both: conditions in the country of origin (calling for an informed decision) and the situation in the country of asylum (permitting a free choice). For more information, see UNHCR: Voluntary Repatriation: International Protection – handbook, 1996.
- BG: алтернатива на задържане
- CZ: alternativa k zajištění
- DE: Alternative zur Inhaftierung / Inhaftnahme, Haftalternative; Alternative zur Schubhaft / gelinderes Mittel (AT)
- EE: kinnipidamise alternatiivid
- EN: alternative to detention
- ES: alternativas al internamiento
- FI: säilöönotolle vaihtoehtoiset turvaamistoimet
- FR: alternative à la détention / rétention
- GA: malairt ar choinneáil (iolra: malairtí ar choinneáil)
- GR: τα μη στερητικά της ελευθερίας εναλλακτικά
- HU: a fogvatartás alternatívái
- IT: disposizione alternativa al trattenimento
- LT: alternatyvi sulaikymui priemonė
- LV: alternatīva aizturēšanai
- MT: Alternattiva għad-detenzjoni
- NL: alternatief voor bewaring
- NO: alternativ til forvaring
- PL: alternatywa wobec zatrzymania
- RO: alternativa la masura detentiei
- SE: alternativ till förvar
- SK: alternatíva k zaisteniu / alternatíva zaistenia
- SL: alternativa k pridržanju / alternativa k omejitvi gibanja
Non-custodial measures used to monitor and / or limit the movement of third-country nationals in advance of forced return or deciding on the individual’s right to remain in the Member State, such as regular reporting, the surrender of a financial guarantee or travel documents, electronic monitoring.
2. Reception facilities can be considered an alternative to detention only in cases where the individual concerned has to report regularly to the competent authorities, or if there are residency requirements.
3. For further information see EMN: Use of detention and alternatives to detention in the context of immigration policies, 2014.