An IMGW News Report
In the second quarter of 2024, EU countries issued 96,115 removal orders to non-EU citizens, marking a seven percent decrease compared to the previous quarter. This figure also represents a ten percent drop compared to the same period in 2023. Despite this decline in removal orders, the number of non-EU citizens returned to their home countries increased. In Q3 2024, 27,095 individuals were returned, a notable 12 percent rise from the previous year.
Of those ordered to leave in the second quarter, Algerians and Moroccans made up the largest groups, each accounting for seven percent of the total. Turkish and Syrian nationals followed closely, each representing six percent. When it comes to actual returns, Georgian citizens comprised the largest group, making up ten percent of the total, followed by Albanians at eight percent and Turkish nationals at seven percent.
“In 2022, around 7.0 million people immigrated to EU countries, with 5.1 million arriving from non-EU nations.”
At the national level, France, Germany, and Greece recorded the highest numbers of removal orders, with 31,195, 12,885, and 6,555 non-EU citizens, respectively, being ordered to leave. France and Germany also led in terms of returns, with 3,555 and 2,830 individuals returned to third countries, while Sweden saw 2,360 returns.
Eurostat’s data highlights that over 107,000 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave the EU between July and September 2023, reflecting a four percent decrease compared to the same period in 2022. On the other hand, returns to home countries showed a positive trend, with 27,095 individuals successfully repatriated during this period, marking a 12 percent increase.
Notably, Moroccan citizens accounted for the largest share of removal orders in this period, at eight percent. Syrian and Algerian nationals followed, each constituting seven percent of the total. Afghan, Turkish, and Georgian citizens were also significant groups ordered to leave, with varying percentages across the quarter. Eurostat further reported that 81 percent of returned individuals were repatriated to non-EU countries.
This trend in removals and returns appears to reflect the broader influence of nationalistic and far-right inspired political movements across the EU, which have been pushing for stricter immigration controls and fewer foreign residents. Countries like France, Hungary, Austria, and Italy have seen a rise in political leaders advocating for the reduction of migrants and non-EU nationals, aligning with the increase in deportations and voluntary repatriations. This shift in political climate is contributing to the growing focus on removing non-EU citizens from the EU.
The EU: An attractive destination for global migration
On 1 January 2023, the European Union (EU) population stood at 448.8 million people. Germany, with 84.4 million residents, accounted for 19% of the EU population, followed by France (68.2 million, 15%), Italy (59.0 million, 13%), Spain (48.1 million, 11%), and Poland (36.8 million, 8%). Together, these five countries made up 66% of the total EU population. In contrast, the least populous countries were Malta (542,000), Luxembourg (661,000), and Cyprus (921,000), each contributing between 0.1% and 0.2% of the EU population.
In 2022, around 7.0 million people immigrated to EU countries, with 5.1 million arriving from non-EU nations. Germany saw the highest influx of immigrants, welcoming over two million individuals (30% of all immigrants to the EU), followed by Spain (1.26 million, 18%), France (431,000, 6%), and Italy (411,000, 6%). Collectively, these four countries received 60% of all immigrants in 2022. On the other end of the spectrum, Slovakia (5,500 immigrants), Cyprus (31,100), Luxembourg (31,400), and Malta (35,000) saw the smallest numbers of immigrants.
In most EU countries, a majority of immigrants were non-nationals in 2022. The highest shares of non-nationals among immigrants were recorded in Czechia (99%), Luxembourg, Malta, and Austria (95% each). In contrast, Slovakia saw 67% of its immigrants holding national citizenship, followed by Romania (65%), Portugal (49%), and Bulgaria (47%).
This demographic context underscores the ongoing pressures on EU countries as they balance migration with emerging nationalistic sentiments.
