European Union

List of EU Readmission Agreements

* China signed an Approved Destination Status (ADS) Agreement in 2004. This accord is not an EU readmission agreement. Rather, it is a memorandum of understanding facilitating the entry of Chinese tourists into EU Member States. Article 5 of the memorandum includes a series of provisions requiring China to take back its nationals who overstay and to cooperate on their readmission. Formal negotiations on an EU readmission agreement have not started yet.

Explanatory note:

Mobility partnerships joint declarations have been listed on this page, although they do not constitute Community readmission agreements. Just like France’s pacts on concerted migration management or Spain’s Africa Plan, the EC mobility partnerships are tailor-made and encompass a broad range of issues ranging from development aid, to temporary entry visa facilitation, circular migration schemes and the fight against illegal migration including readmission.

In late 2007, the Commission has been invited by the Council to launch pilot mobility partnerships with Cape Verde and Moldova. “Parties to a mobility partnership include both the European Community and Member States willing to participate in and contribute to it on a voluntary basis. Partnerships remain open to any other Member State wishing to participate at a later stage.”[1]

Although mobility partnerships are not Community readmission agreements, they are no less agreements for that. They are presented as “a novel approach capable of bringing added value in implementing different aspects of the Global Approach to Migration”[2], including the cooperation on an effective readmission policy[3].