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Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum… Article 21

Article 21

1. The Member States shall take the measures necessary to make possible the voluntary return of persons enjoying temporary protection or whose temporary protection has ended. The Member States shall ensure that the provisions governing voluntary return of persons enjoying temporary protection facilitate their return with respect for human dignity. The Member State shall ensure that the decision of those persons to return is taken in full knowledge of the facts. The Member States may provide for exploratory visits. 2. For such time as the temporary protection has not ended, the Member States shall, on the basis of the circumstances prevailing in the country of origin, give favourable consideration to requests for return to the host Member State from persons who have enjoyed temporary protection and exercised their right to a voluntary return. 3. At the end of the temporary protection, the Member States may provide for the obligations laid down in CHAPTER III to be extended individually to persons who have been covered by temporary protection and are benefiting from a voluntary return programme. The extension shall have effect until the date of return.

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Other provisions in CHAPTER V

Compiled from an official source version. Later amendments or repeals may not be reflected; the official text prevails. · Read the official text ↗ · Data as of 2026-07-04

CitationArticle 21 of Council Directive 2001/55/EC of 20 July 2001 on minimum… (LawPlayer, data as of 2026-07-04)

© European Union, https://eur-lex.europa.eu, 1998-2026. Reuse authorised under Commission Decision 2011/833/EU, provided the source is acknowledged.

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