Less migration, more repatriation: Has the EU got tough on borders?

The EU seems to be acting upon its promises to tighten border control.

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Fewer migrants are entering the EU than a few years ago, while repatriation orders are on the rise.

This is according to newly released Eurostat data, which reflects what appears to be a medium-term trend, rather than a temporary turn.

Since 2022, the number of new migrants entering the EU has consistently decreased, from 5.4 million to 4.5 million in 2024 (-24%).

In 2025, the number of asylum seekers granted protection status also shrank, reaching 361,000, the lowest level since 2019.

EU says it will have the world’s ‘most modern border management system’

It’s not just a matter of fewer people coming to Europe: expulsions and returns from the continent have increased, too.

Repatriation orders reached almost half a million last year, the highest rate since 2019.

While only a fraction are actually returned, last year’s expulsions, 155,000, were the largest since 2020.

The European Commissioner for Internal Affairs and Migration, Magnus Brunner, told Europe in Motion that the bloc is “on the final stretch of the largest reform of the European asylum and migration system to date”.

“With it, we strengthen the protection of our external borders, putting in place the most modern border management system in the world – the Entry/Exit system,” he said.

Brunner said the EU is also strengthening cooperation with third countries to manage migration and deter illegal crossing and migrant smuggling, adding, however, that “a lot of work” remains to be done.

Which EU countries are repatriating the most migrants?

Turkish migrants were the most repatriated group in 2025, at more than 13,000, followed by Georgians (10,475), Syrians (8,370) and Albanians (8,020).

Germany carried out the most expulsions overall — nearly 30,000 — followed by France with almost 15,000 and Sweden with more than 11,000.

Who issued the most repatriation orders?

When it comes to repatriation orders, France issued comparatively many more than Germany (138,000 versus 55,000 in 2025) and other EU countries, meaning the vast majority of people who received a repatriation order in France did not ultimately leave the country.

Spain also issued 54,000 such orders, followed by the Netherlands at 32,000.

The gap between repatriation orders and repatriations actually carried out — in France and elsewhere — can be explained by several factors.

For example, authorities are often unable to establish a migrant’s country of origin, while in other cases, repatriations may be delayed due to health issues, or suspended in cases of an unaccompanied minor.

Border control: Which countries are pushing back the most migrants?

Additionally, more people are being turned away at the border, with more people being refused entry in 2025 than in both 2024 and 2023, amounting to 133,000.

The most common reason why they were turned away (30%) was that they didn’t provide a valid purpose and condition for their stay, according to Eurostat. Another 17%, meanwhile, had already spent three months in the EU over a six-month period.

At the same time, 15% were refused entry because they did not possess a valid visa, and 13% were not allowed in following an alert about their presence in the country.

Poland reports the highest number of migrants turned back at its borders, nearly 30,000, followed by France at just over 12,000.

Two weeks ago, the European Commission published a report about the state of play of the Pact on Migration and Asylum’s implementation.

The report claims EU member states “have significantly advanced in implementing the Pact.”

The new legislation, adopted in 2024, aims to build a common framework with stronger external border protection, while maintaining “fair and firm asylum rules, and a balance between solidarity and responsibility.”