A growing number of non-European Union citizens ordered to leave EU territory are being returned to countries outside the bloc, indicating a strengthening of efforts to curb irregular migration. Data released by Eurostat, the EU’s statistics office, reveals that the deportation success rate reached 29.5% in the first quarter of 2024, up from 21.6% in the same period of 2022. This increase in deportation activity is accompanied by a rise in the number of deportation orders issued, which grew by approximately 15% during the same period. Notably, deportations following these orders witnessed a substantial increase of around 58%.
The European Commission spokesperson attributed this trend to the “Return Roadmap,” a new initiative aimed at accelerating returns and facilitating reintegration in member states. The spokesperson also highlighted the role of mutual recognition agreements between EU nations and migrants’ countries of origin in expediting the deportation process. Since 2016, the 27-nation EU has solidified agreements with Mauritania, Tunisia, Turkey, and most recently Egypt, as part of its strategy to curtail irregular migration. However, these efforts have drawn criticism from human rights groups, who argue that they disregard humanitarian law.
Migration emerged as a central issue during the June 6-9 European Parliament elections, leading to gains for right-wing nationalist parties. This development underscores the growing influence of anti-immigration sentiment across the EU, shaping the bloc’s approach to future challenges, ranging from geopolitics to immigration. The surge in anti-immigration rhetoric can be traced back to the influx of over a million people, primarily Syrian refugees, who arrived via the Mediterranean in 2015, overwhelming the bloc’s preparedness. Faced with the inability to reach consensus on sharing the responsibility for managing these arrivals, EU countries primarily focused on reducing the number of people entering their territories.
Of the over 100,000 non-EU citizens ordered to leave an EU country in the first quarter of 2024, nearly a third were deported, according to Eurostat. While some were returned to other EU countries, a significant 85% were sent outside the bloc’s borders, marking an increase from 77% in the previous quarter. Among non-EU citizens subject to deportation orders, Algerian and Moroccan nationals constituted the largest share at 7% each, followed by Turkish nationals at 6%, and Syrian and Georgian nationals at 5% each. France emerged as the country with the highest number of deportations, returning 4,205 individuals to another country, out of a total of 34,190 ordered to leave. Germany followed closely with 3,950 individuals returned, out of 15,400 orders issued.
