You're listening to the European Parliamentary Research Service podcast on the reintegration of returning migrants.

Based with continuous migratory pressure, the EU is shifting its approach towards reducing the incentives for irregular migration.

A more effective return system and improving the situation in countries of origin

are two of the main axes the EU has chosen to dissuade people to undertake the perilous journey to Europe.

But will it work? It's certainly not without challenges. Stay with us.

Although figures have gone down, the number of migrants pushing on the EU's doors is still

much higher than what the EU member states are prepared to accept.

To deal with this protracted crisis, EU leaders have often been forced to act in ways

that many saw as ethically questionable, such as the EU-Turkey deal from March 2016 to stop

migratory flows.

Aware of the need to develop a long-term

strategy in parallel to the short-term measures, the EU, African countries and international and regional

institutions came together in Valletta in 2015 and set up an EU Emergency Trust Fund to address the root

causes of irregular migration in Africa. The fund was allocated €2.7 billion, but virtually all of this money comes from the European Development Fund,

as Member States have been reluctant to take out their checkbooks to add substantial sums.

The additional contributions of EU member states combined amounts to only €150 million,

a lack of solidarity which has strongly criticised by President Juncker in his recent State of the Union address.

So contributing to the overall development of African countries is one of the EU strategies to reduce the incentives for irregular migration.

Another is a more effective return system.

But that's easier said than done.

With effective return rates remaining around 36%, the EU return policy is currently fizzling

out.

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