Around 30,000 more people were returned from the European Union last year than in the previous year.

Omissions

• Eurostat's 2025 figure of 135,460 returns, up 20.9% on 2024, implies a year-on-year increase of approximately 23,400 people — roughly 6,600 (about 22-28%) below the MEP's 'around 30,000'.
• The number of third-country nationals issued with an order to leave the EU rose from 464,985 in 2024 to 491,950 in 2025 (+5.8%, i.e. about 27,000 more) — a related but distinct metric that the MEP may have conflated with actual returns.
• The claim refers to returns 'from the European Union'; Eurostat's indicator is 'third-country nationals returned to a third country following an order to leave the EU', which is the relevant comparable metric.
• Only Eurostat (primary) sources were found; the specific year-on-year difference is derived from the stated 20.9% growth rate applied to the 2025 total.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat — Enforcement of immigration legislation statistics135 460 third-country nationals were returned to a third country following an order to leave the EU in 2025, up 20.9% compared to 2024.
• PrimaryEurostat news — Returns to third countries up by 13% in Q4 2025In the fourth quarter of 2025, 117 545 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave an EU country, and 33 860 people were returned to third countries.
• PrimaryEurostat — Returns of irregular migrants, quarterly statisticsIn Q1 2026, 34 550 persons were returned to third countries; an increase of 2.0% compared with the previous quarter, and an increase of 8.1% compared with the same quarter of 2025.
• PrimaryEurostat news — 132 600 people refused entry in the EU, up by 7.1%In 2025, 491 950 third-country nationals were issued with an order to leave an EU country, a 5.8% increase compared with 2024 (464 985).