Less than 20% of return decisions in Europe are implemented today.

Error detected

The MEP claims that less than 20% of return decisions are implemented today. Eurostat data for Q4 2025 shows 117,545 non-EU citizens were ordered to leave and 33,860 were returned to third countries, yielding a ratio of 28.8% — substantially above 20%. The claim understates the actual implementation rate.

Omissions

• The MEP does not cite any source or specific time period for the claim. The most recent Eurostat data available before the session date (Q4 2025, published 31 March 2026) shows a quarterly return-to-order ratio of 28.8%, not 'less than 20%'.
• The implementation rate can vary depending on methodology (same-quarter vs. multi-year tracking of decisions), but the available quarterly flow data consistently shows rates above 20% for recent periods.
• The MEP may have relied on older data (historically the EU return rate was cited around 20-25%), but the claim presented as current ('today') does not reflect the most recent available statistics.

Sources

• PrimaryEurostat — 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. The ratio of returns to orders is 28.8%.
• PrimaryEurostat — Enforcement of immigration legislation statisticsIn 2025, 135,460 third-country nationals who received an order to leave an EU country were returned to a third country, representing 87.3% of total returns.
• PrimaryEurostat — Returns of irregular migrants - quarterly statisticsIn Q1 2026, 34,550 third-country nationals who received an order to leave were effectively returned to a third country. This represented an increase of 2.0% compared with the previous quarter.