EU member states continue to significantly tighten their migration policies. According to Euronews, in 2025 the number of forced deportations reached its highest level in the past ten years, against a backdrop of a sustained decline in the flow of new asylum seekers.
Over the past four years, the number of migrants arriving in the EU has dropped from 5.4 million to 4.5 million people. In 2025, only 361,000 people were granted international protection status, which is the lowest figure in six years.
The rise in forced return policies has been particularly pronounced. In 2025, EU countries issued approximately 500,000 deportation orders. Around 155,000 people were expelled — the highest figure since the beginning of the current decade.
Germany leads by far in actual returns, with 29,295 people removed (approximately 22% of the EU total). France ranked second with 14,940 returnees, while also topping the list for deportation orders issued (over 128,000). Sweden recorded one of the highest efficiency rates, with 11,250 people returned. Cyprus, Poland, Austria, Spain, and Greece are also conducting deportations at a significant pace.
Experts attribute these changes to stricter migration legislation at both national and EU-wide levels, strengthened external border controls, and expanded cooperation with third countries on readmission agreements.
“The figures demonstrate a clear shift in EU migration policy: from an emphasis on reception to a priority on control and return,” Euronews analysts noted.
The trend toward fewer new asylum applications and rising deportation numbers has been building for several consecutive years — however, 2025 has proven to be a record year in terms of both the scale and effectiveness of expulsion order enforcement.