Brussels – In the fourth quarter of 2025, 33,860 people were returned from the European Union to third countries following a removal order. This represents a 13 per cent increase compared with the same period the previous year. At the same time, the number of third-country nationals who were ordered to leave the EU fell by 6.1 per cent (117,545 nationals). These are the figures that Eurostat, the EU’s statistical office, published today (31 March) on returns and removal orders from the EU. Compared to the third quarter of 2025 (May–August 2025), there was a decrease in both the proportion of non-EU nationals ordered to leave the territory of a Member State (-4.4 per cent) and the number of returnees to third countries (-0.9 per cent).
Citizens of Turkey (3,155) accounted for the majority of third-country nationals who were returned in the fourth quarter of 2025. They were followed by people from Georgia (2,390) and Syria (2,105). Meanwhile, the highest number of EU exit orders affected Algerian nationals (12,455, or 10.6 per cent of the total), followed by Moroccans (7,385, 6.3 per cent), Turks (5,225, 4.4 per cent), Afghans (4,010, 3.4 per cent) and Tunisians (3,770, 3.2 per cent).
Germany (7,690), France (3,800), and Sweden (2,870) recorded the highest number of returns to third countries, whilst France (34,040), Spain (12,380), and Germany (10,720) recorded the highest proportion of orders to leave an EU country.
Analysis of Eurostat data shows that 132,660 people were repatriated by the end of 2025: approximately 27 per cent of the 492,175 removal orders issued by European Union countries. It should be noted that orders and returns do not necessarily refer to the same individuals, but calculating this percentage annually offers an insight into how many measures are actually implemented. Germany has the highest number of repatriations and the greatest return rate (53 per cent) among the main European countries. Meanwhile, in Italy, 4,780 individuals were repatriated out of around 21,295 departure orders.
In the European Union, the majority of third-country nationals leaving the territory do so through voluntary returns, which account for 58.9 per cent of the total, compared with 41.1 per cent of forced returns. This picture varies drastically across Member States: while Italy recorded only forced returns in the last quarter of 2025, in countries such as the Czech Republic, Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, over 90 per cent of people left voluntarily.
As regards unaccompanied minors, between October and December 2025, 440 orders to leave the EU were issued, representing a 46.7 per cent decrease compared with the previous quarter. Greece issued the most orders of this kind (195), followed by the Netherlands (150) and Croatia (40). However, during the same period, the number of minors actually returned to non-EU countries was 30, mainly from Croatia, Germany, and Sweden.
However one chooses to interpret these figures, it is important to emphasise that there is a time lag: the number of removal orders issued in a quarter does not correspond to the number of removals carried out during the same period, as a person may be ordered to leave at one point and only actually depart months later.
The European Union’s basic regulatory framework on migration is structured around two distinct aspects: border control and the management of unauthorised non-EU nationals present in the EU. These two areas are linked, but serve different purposes: on the one hand, to regulate the entry and movement of persons; on the other, to manage the irregular presence and return of those who are not entitled to remain. As regards border control, European legislation is based primarily on the
Schengen Borders Code, which establishes harmonised rules for the crossing of external borders and for the possible temporary reintroduction of internal border controls, citing migratory pressure, human trafficking, organised crime, or security threats. The framework also provides for the Regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard and the entry-exit system, which more accurately records the entries, exits, and short stays of third-country nationals.
On the other hand, the management of non-EU nationals present in the EU without authorisation revolves around the Return Directive, which governs the detection of persons residing illegally, the adoption of return decisions and the actual enforcement of returns. Within this framework, Member States may adopt measures to ensure the enforcement of decisions.
Last week, the European Parliament approved the proposed regulation on returns, thereby opening negotiations with the Council. The European Parliament’s position aims to tighten the rules, making returns faster: third-country nationals subject to a return decision must cooperate with the authorities and, in the event of resistance or non-cooperation, may be detained for up to 24 months. This new legislative direction continues to move towards outsourcing practices, providing for the possibility of transferring migrants to “return hubs” in third countries under international agreements. For anyone labelled as a potential security risk, the text introduces even harsher rules and invasive checks, confirming a political will that prioritises the bureaucratic efficiency of deportations over the protection of individual rights.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
