2. Monitoring bodies in Europe First of all, the research aimed at mapping European monitoring bodies. In order to draw up a concise but accurate picture, during the desk research phase the various sources of available information were integrated. This chapter is therefore the result of this summary and reports the main information concerning both the phenomenon of forced return in general and the main aspects related to the monitoring of these operations. For each country a form has been drawn up which collects the following information:  Body responsible for monitoring (source: FRA, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Effective forced return monitoring system 2018, Fact Sheets for forced return monitors elaborated by Frontex);  Year of establishment and legislative references (intended as the year of establishment of the monitoring body and relative legislative framework. For some countries the information available is of two kinds: year of foundation of the body and year of attribution to the same the monitoring mandate on forced returns, if the data is available and if the dates do not match) (source: Fact Sheet for forced return monitors elaborated by Frontex, information available on websites);  Type of body (source: questionnaires, and information available on websites, Fact Sheets for forced return monitors elaborated by Frontex);  Number of operations monitored in 2018 (source: FRA, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, Effective forced return monitoring system 2018);  Number of returns carried out in 2018 (source: European Migration Network (EMN) Annual Report 2018 on Migration and Asylum - Statistical Annex);  Reporting (source: questionnaires, information available on websites, Fact Sheets for forced return monitors elaborated by Frontex);  Civil society interventions/accessibility of the information collected (source: questionnaires, information available on websites, Fact Sheets for forced return monitors elaborated by Frontex);  Use of checklists: questionnaires, information available on websites (source: Fact Sheets for forced return monitors elaborated by Frontex). As regards the data on forced returns carried out annually by Member States, it is worth noting that the decision to use the Annual Report 2018 on Migration and Asylum - Statistical Annex of the European Migration Network (EMN) as a source was motivated by the consideration that this source was not only reliable6 but also the most up-to-date and rich in information. The Statistical Annex of the EMN Annual Report was used to compile the forms of all the countries being considered except for Denmark, whose data was not available and for which it was decided to integrate data provided by Eurostat. Finally, for Italy, the data used corresponds to the calculations made by the National Guarantor based on the data provided by the Public Security Department - Central Directorate for Immigration and Border Police. On the basis of an initial analysis of the results obtained, it is interesting to highlight the nature of the bodies that the various Member States have appointed to carry out the mandate of monitoring forced returns. On the European Migration Network see: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/networks/european_migration_network_en 6