Luxembourg’s Minister for Home Affairs Léon Gloden said that discussions about voluntary return should take place earlier in the asylum-seeking process in the future.

The rework will be at the core of the new conceptualisation for voluntary return, presented on Friday by Home Affairs Minister Léon Gloden.

In the current system, asylum seekers are only informed about the option of voluntary return once their application has been rejected.

The minister said the reasoning behind this new direction is to establish an honest and respectful dialogue with the individuals concerned from the beginning.

It is imperative that asylum seekers know their rights and obligations at all stages of the process, for both procedures, according to the minister.

Currently, six dedicated agents are responsible for assisting people who wish to return to their home countries.

So far this year, around 200 people have returned voluntarily, while 83 individuals were returned by force.