On 28 June 2011, the Federal Council approved a guarantee credit for funding international cooperation on migration and returns. It superseded the framework credit for return assistance (ILR) granted by the Federal Council in 1999. The credit was granted on the basis of Article 100 FNIA, which encourages bilateral and multilateral partnerships with other countries on migration and authorises the Federal Council to enter into agreements intended to strengthen cooperation on migration and to counter illegal migration and its adverse effects.
The credit of CHF 140 million was made available to SEM from 1 January 2012, for a minimum period of seven years.
The credit is an essential instrument in Switzerland’s foreign policy on migration. It is used to fund projects in the following areas:
- Return assistance,
- Prevention of irregular migration,
- Protection of migrants and refugees in their first host country,
- Protection of migrants and refugees on the migration route,
- Consolidating capacities in the first host country and transit countries in order to manage migration on their national territory.
Last modification 22.04.2021