How has immigration enforcement in the EU evolved over the past year?

Published on 02/06/2025 - 13:25 GMT+2

There was a alteration of 27.4% successful the fig of citizens recovered to beryllium illegally contiguous successful EU countries successful 2024, according to the latest Eurostat figures.

Germany, France and Italy unneurotic represented much than fractional of each third-country nationals recovered to beryllium illegally contiguous successful the EU past year.

Close to 57% of refusals happened astatine onshore crossings, mostly connected the Polish, Croatian and Romanian frontiers.

Air borders handled 39.8% of rejected travellers, with France unsocial turning backmost 7,800 people.

Meanwhile, lone 3.4% of full refusals were astatine oversea borders. Italy reported the highest numbers of refusals astatine the EU oversea borders, followed by France.

The largest fig of radical refused introduction into the EU successful 2024 was recorded for Ukrainians, Albanians and Moldovans. 

Ukrainian citizens who were refused introduction into the EU chiefly attempted to transverse the onshore borders with Poland and Romania. These individuals did not payment from impermanent protection.

Most Albanian citizens were refused introduction astatine the Greek, Croatian, Hungarian and Lithuanian onshore borders, oregon the Italian aerial and oversea borders.

Meanwhile, astir Moldovans were refused introduction astatine the Romanian, Polish and Latvian onshore borders.

Almost 50% of the refusals of introduction were explained by not-justified intent oregon conditions of the enactment and lack of a valid visa oregon residence permit.

Returns of third-country nationals

The fig of third-country nationals returned accrued by 19.3% compared to the erstwhile year.

Georgian citizens were taxable to the highest fig of returns successful the EU, with 11,585 of them returned to a 3rd country.

They were followed by Turks (7,910), Albanians (7,810) and Moldovans (4,970).

53.8% of returns to 3rd countries were voluntary, portion 46.2% were forced.

In Denmark, Lithuania, Latvia and Czechia, much than 90% of third-country nationals returned voluntarily. Only Italy reported each returns arsenic forced returns.