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: принудително връщане
- CZ: nucený návrat
- DE: zwangsweise Rückführung / Zwangsrückführung / erzwungene Rückkehr
- EE: sunnitud tagasipöördumine
- EN: compulsory return
- ES: retorno forzoso
- FI: pakkopalautus / pakkoon perustuva paluu
- FR: obligation de retour
- GA: filleadh éigeantach
- GR: αναγκαστική επιστροφή
- HU: kötelező visszatérés
- IT: ritorno obbligato
- LT: priverstinis grąžinimas
- LV: piespiedu atgriešana (EU acquis) / piespiedu izraidīšana (national)
- MT: Ritorn obbligatorju // Ripatrijazzjoni obbligatorja
- NL: gedwongen terugkeer
- NO: tvangsretur
- PL: przymusowy powrót
- RO: returnare (fortata)/returnare sub escortă
- SE: tvångsmässigt återvändande
- SK: nútený návrat
- SL: obvezno vračanje
In the EU context, the process of going back – whether in voluntary or enforced compliance with an obligation to return– to:
- one's country of origin; or
- a country of transit in accordance with EU or bilateral readmission agreements or other arrangements; or
- another third country, to which the third-country national concerned voluntarily decides to return and in which they will be accepted.
2. Outside of EU legislation the term ‘forced return’ is more commonly used and understood as a synonym with ‘compulsory return’ – i.e. return which occurs in compliance with a return decision.
- BG: изтезания
- CZ: mučení
- DE: Folter
- EE: piinamine
- EN: torture
- ES: tortura
- FI: kidutus
- FR: torture
- GA: céasadh
- HU: kínzás
- IT: tortura
- LT: kankinimas
- LV: spīdzināšana
- MT: Tortura
- NL: foltering
- NO: tortur
- PL: tortury
- RO: tortură
- SE: tortyr
- SK: mučenie
- SL: mučenje
In the context of the case law of the European Court of Human Rights, deliberate inhuman treatment causing very serious and cruel suffering.
2.The right to freedom from torture is enshrined in many international treaties, most notably the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the UN Convention against Torture (UNCAT). The acceptance that torture is forbidden under any circumstances, including war, public emergency or terrorist threat, indicates that universally it is considered as a fundamental principle of customary international law. This means that even States that have not ratified any of the international treaties explicitly prohibiting torture are banned from using it against anyone, anywhere, under any circumstances.
3. Regional conventions, such as the European Convention on Human Rights (Art. 3) and the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (Art. 4), also recognise torture as a prohibited act.
4. Both the UNCAT and the Geneva Refugee Convention and Protocol expressly prohibit the forced return of an asylum seeker to a country where they may be at risk of torture.
5. In the EU, Art. 21 of Directive 2013/33/EU (Recast Receptions Conditions Directive) explicitly considers the situation of vulnerable asylum seekers with special needs, including victims of torture. EU Member States are obliged to identify victims of torture within the asylum procedure and to assess whether they have special reception needs, including the need to access appropriate medical and psychological treatment or care.
- BG: извеждане
- CZ: vyhoštění
- DE: Abschiebung
- EE: väljasaatmine
- EN: removal
- ES: expulsión
- FI: maasta poistaminen
- FR: éloignement
- GA: aistriú
- GR: απομάκρυνση
- HU: kitoloncolás
- IT: allontanamento
- LT: išsiuntimas
- LV: piespiedu izraidīšana
- MT: Tneħħija
- NL: uitzetting (syn: verwijdering)
- NO: uttransportering
- PL: odesłanie (wyjazd)
- PT: afastamento
- RO: Îndepărtare de pe teritoriu / returnare
- SE: avlägsnande
- SK: odsun
- SL: odstranitev
In the EU context, the enforcement of the obligation to return, namely the physical transportation out of the EU Member State.
2. While deportation and removal often are understood as synonyms, deportation is not used as a legal term in all EU Member States (only DE, FI, IE and UK define 'deportation' in their legislation) and is only applicable as a general concept by the public, sometimes with a negative connotation. Because of this variation, ‘removal ‘ is the preferred term to use.
3. In DE deportation and removal are defined in legislation (Sect. 57 and 58 of the Residence Act) and have different meanings. In FI deportation is synonymous with removal only in cases of a foreign citizen who: - resides in the country under a fixed term or permanent residence permit issued by Finnish authorities; - resides in the country and whose residence has been registered as provided in this Act; or - continues to reside in the country after his or her residence permit, registered residence or residence card has expired (Sect. 143 of the Finnish Aliens' Act).
- 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: национален механизъм за насочване
- CZ: národní referenční mechanismus
- DE: nationaler Überweisungsmechanismus
- EE: nõustamisele suunamise riiklik mehhanism
- EN: national referral mechanism
- ES: Mecanismo nacional de derivación
- FI: kansallinen ohjautumisjärjestelmä
- FR: mécanisme national d’orientation
- GA: meicníocht náisiúnta atreorúcháin
- HU: nemzeti áldozatirányítási rendszer
- IT: meccanismo nazionale di riferimento
- LT: nacionalinis nukreipimo mechanizmas
- LV: nacionālais nosūtīšanas mehānisms
- MT: Mekkaniżmu nazzjonali għal riferiment / ta’ referenza
- NL: nationaal verwijsmechanisme
- NO: nasjonal henvisningsordning (b) / nasjonal tilvisingsordning (n)
- PL: krajowy mechanizm referencyjny
- RO: mecanism naţional de sesizare
- SE: dažniausiai vartojamo išversto termino nėra
- SK: národný referenčný mechanizmus
- SL: nacionalni mehanizem za opozarjanje
Mechanism aimed at identifying, protecting and assisting victims of trafficking in human beings, through referral, and involving relevant public authorities and civil society.
2. The Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) defines an NRM as a cooperative framework at national level by which state actors coordinate their efforts in a strategic partnership with civil society to identify, protect and assist victims of trafficking in human beings to ensure that the human rights of trafficked persons are respected and to provide an effective way to refer victims of trafficking to services. For more OSCE: National referral mechanism: joining efforts to protect the rights of trafficked persons, 2004.
3. The National Rapporteurs or Equivalent Mechanisms (NREMs) are responsible for monitoring the implementation of anti-trafficking policy at the national level and play a key role in data collection on trafficking in human beings at national and EU level.
- 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.