This policy brief draws on in-depth empirical and legal analysis carried out within the Horizon Europe GAPs project, particularly the Sweden country dossiers on legal and policy infrastructures of return (WP2) and return migration infrastructures (WP3). These studies systematically examine Sweden’s regulations, policies, institutions, and statistics on return and readmission, situating national developments within broader EU frameworks and Pact reforms. Building on this evidence base, the brief distils the most salient findings into a concise set of policyrelevant insights and reform recommendations on return governance.