WARSAW, POLAND / RankWire.AI / – Frontex facilitated more than 33,000 returns from EU member states to non-EU countries during the first half of 2026. This amount increased from approximately 30,000 in the same period last year. Of these, roughly 21,000 individuals returned voluntarily, compared to about 19,000 a year earlier. According to agency data released on September 7, the total supported returns since 2022 now approximate 215,000 people.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency assists national authorities once a person receives an enforceable return order. Such orders are issued after all legal options to remain within the EU have been exhausted. The decision to return may be voluntary or enforced, with authorities determining the appropriate course of action. Voluntary returns involve compliance with the order, whereas forced returns are executed when an individual refuses to leave. Frontex’s support extends to both procedures.
Germany, France, Cyprus, Belgium, and Sweden reported the highest counts of agency-supported returns between January and June. The main nationalities among those returned were from Türkiye, Syria, Georgia, Colombia, India, Brazil, Albania, Morocco, Nigeria, and Iraq. During this period, Frontex deployed 109 Return Specialists across 15 member states and 118 Return Escort and Support Officers across 11 member states to facilitate travel, airport procedures, and flight logistics.
Most cases involve voluntary repatriation
In the first six months of 2026, nearly 14,000 individuals registered for EU reintegration assistance, up from about 8,000 during the same period in 2025. The majority of these participants, over 80%, returned voluntarily. Reintegration programs may include vocational training, counseling, and grants for small businesses upon return to their countries of origin. Member states also have the option to enroll other eligible returnees in these programs.
Return specialists assist national authorities with case management, explaining available support options, and obtaining identity documents from countries of origin. Escort and support officers accompany some returnees and handle administrative processes related to departures. Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens emphasized that operations must comply with legal standards and safeguard safety and dignity. He highlighted the importance of voluntary return and reintegration support as key aspects of the agency’s current activities. The agency states that voluntary returns can lessen the staffing and logistical burdens associated with forced removals.
Legislative progress on EU return policies continues
European Union negotiators reached a provisional agreement on common return rules on June 1. The European Parliament gave its first-reading approval on June 17, with a vote of 418 in favor, 218 against, and 30 abstentions. The framework applies to third-country nationals without legal grounds to stay in member states, establishing cooperation obligations and creating a European Return Order to facilitate recognition of return decisions across the bloc.
The agreed legislation authorizes return hubs in non-EU countries that operate under arrangements compliant with international law and human rights standards. Unaccompanied minors are excluded from such arrangements. It also sets out specific measures for individuals considered security risks and maintains voluntary recognition of return decisions for the time being. The 2026 data indicate an increase in EU return operations compared to the previous year, with voluntary returns remaining the majority of cases supported by Frontex.