MIGNEX Policy Brief
Should the EU give up on readmission agreements as a foreign policy tool?
As seen in Nigeria, with the decoupling of visa facilitation from readmission agreements, the EU lacks an effective incentive for negotiations with partner countries, yet seeks to incentivise with financial aid, trade agreements and other prospective partnerships.
Key takeaways
As visa facilitation agreements appear to lose popularity within the broader political discourse, the EU attempts to decouple visa facilitation from readmission agreements.
A focus on return without adequate consideration of other aspects of migration may lead to ineffective negotiations and incoherent policies.
If the EU is to sign readmission agreements, it needs to offer incentives of national interest to partner countries.