European Return Fund

The European Return Fund (RF) is one of the four funds under the General Programme Solidarity of Migration Flows. Its main purpose is to financially support third country individuals to return, either voluntarily or enforced, to their country of origin. Up to €676 million have been made available for the period 2008-2013 to cover such area.
Click here​ to access Decision 575/2007/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 May 2007 establishing the European Return Fund for the period 2008 to 2013 as part of the General Programme ‘Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows’.

The fund is operated through shared management – in essence the European Commission allocates funds to the National Responsible Authority of participating Member States (including Malta) on an annual basis. The Responsible Authority would consequently issue calls for proposals, adjudicate projects, monitor their implementation and effect payments to the beneficiaries.  Subject to the availability of funds, up to a maximum of 75% of the projects’ eligible costs can be co-financed out of the Fund.

A control mechanism is in place to ensure that funds are managed properly – expenditure is certified by the Certifying Authority and audited by the Audit Authority.

The funds allocated to Malta are as follows:

Year	​​ Amount €
​	​
​2013	​820,511
​2012	​824,717
​2011	​781,804.51
​2010	​735,720.76
​2009	​688,817.39
​2008	​641,337.61

Download Programme