ANNUAL POLICY REPORT 2012 Commissioner Cecilia Malstrom in Brussels, announced145 the establishment of 25 Detention Centers for third country nationals who entered the country illegally. According to the Greek Action Plan for the Asylum and Migration Management, the creation and operation of reception centers will help foreigners’ information and access to the voluntary return programs. Additionally, the Law 4084/2012146 aims to solve practical difficulties in relation to staffing of these centres, as well as of facilities for the detention of illegally residing third country nationals. . Subsequently, with in order to tackle difficulties in handing over the decisions by which applications for residence permits are rejected or permits are withdrawn, relating to the transition of a large number of Aliens and Immigration Services to one stop services, the competent Ministry of Interior issued circular 41/2012147 to advance the implementation of the provisions of law 3907/2011 by the Decentralised Administrations. Regarding the performance of Greece in the field of return, in 2012 there is an improvement in both voluntary and forced returns. In particular, according to Greek Police, 11,586 returns as part of forced return measures and 10,531 voluntary returns (of whom 6,324 were assisted voluntary returns through the IOM) took place in 2012148. In total there were removed 22.117 people in 2012, while the program of the European Return Fund for 2011 implemented by IOM continues until 30/06/2013. Also aiming at the raising awareness of third countries nationals in relation to return programmes to their home countries, in November 2012, the Greek Police began distributing a relevant information brochure which was printed in 1,500,000 copies and translated into 13 languages. The brochure was designed by Attica Aliens Directorate, in cooperation with the press office of the Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection, aiming at increasing the return of third country nationals, safely and without them bearing the financial burden149. For this purpose a "Pavilion" was installed at the headquarters of the Aliens Directorate (24, P. Ralli str - Taurus), where police officers and interpreters, provide information to interested third country nationals about the return programs on weekdays from 08:00 to 14:00. The competent authorities informed the representatives of migrants’ associations, legally operating in the 145 Press Release Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection http://www.minocp.gov.gr/index.php?option=ozo_content&lang=&perform=view&id=4291&Itemi d=549 146 Ν. 4084/2012"Regulations concerning contracts relating to reception centers and detention facilities of illegal residing aliens’’ http://www.et.gr/idocs-nph/pdfimageSummaryviewer.html?args=sppFfdN7IQP5_cc-m0e133xFSihmzPYE3H1EKGlNbu8rzSZFxgk-fbyTuXZsV7kAYi3ORfmarHlTZ0OcIYK81nyinpn_BK4kicnjz_3u4G8qOBlZzQoc77k1A9Eyz7vqZ2xJ5_DbX7fPHLbDTY8TAaNjk_cvd2NLbD5wRaygZXAf4LntlPw.. 147 http://www.synigoros.gr/?i=foreigner.el.metanastis-egkyklioi.71089 148 Reply to question n. 5853/2013 of MP Christos Pappas during Parliamentary scrutiny 149 http://www.newsit.gr/default.php?pname=Article&art_id=175690&catid=3 52