WARSAW, POLAND / RankWire.AI / – Frontex reported supporting the repatriation of more than 33,000 individuals from European Union member states to countries outside the EU during the initial six months of 2026. This number surpasses the approximately 30,000 returns documented during the same period in 2025. Around 21,000 of those individuals returned voluntarily, an increase from roughly 19,000 a year earlier. These latest statistics bring the total number of Frontex-assisted returns since 2022 to approximately 215,000 people.
The European Border and Coast Guard Agency supports national authorities following the issuance of enforceable return orders. Such decisions are made after individuals have exhausted all legal options to remain within the EU. Whether departures are voluntary or enforced is determined by the national authorities. Frontex then offers operational support for eligible cases, which may include case management, travel coordination, document assistance, and support during departures from participating member states.
Germany, France, Cyprus, Belgium, and Sweden reported the highest numbers of Frontex-supported returns from January through June. The majority of returnees held citizenship from Türkiye, Syria, Georgia, Colombia, India, Brazil, Albania, Morocco, Nigeria, and Iraq. During this six-month period, Frontex deployed 109 Return Specialists across 15 member states, along with 118 Return Escort and Support Officers across 11 countries to assist national authorities with departure procedures and related logistics.
Voluntary returns constitute a significant portion
Reintegration assistance provided by the EU also saw a notable rise in the first half of the year. Nearly 14,000 individuals registered for reintegration support, compared to about 8,000 during the same period in 2025. More than 80% of participants had returned voluntarily. Support programs can include vocational training, counseling, and grants for small businesses. Member states are also able to register eligible returnees for assistance even if Frontex did not directly support their repatriation journey.
Return Specialists collaborate with national agencies on individual cases, providing information about available return and reintegration services. They can help obtain identity and travel documents from countries of origin. Return Escort and Support Officers accompany some departures and manage practical needs at airports and during flights. These deployments are part of Frontex’s broader return initiatives across the EU. The agency’s data distinguish between operational return support and wider reintegration registrations.
Progress in EU return policies in 2026
This recent data coincides with ongoing efforts by the European Union to establish a unified legal framework for returns. Negotiators reached a provisional agreement on new rules on June 1. The European Parliament approved its first reading on June 17 with a vote of 418 in favor, 218 against, and 30 abstentions. The proposed framework targets third-country nationals lacking legal grounds to stay and introduces a European Return Order to facilitate recognition of return decisions across member states.
The agreed-upon framework also envisions the creation of return hubs in non-EU countries, provided arrangements adhere to international law and human rights standards. According to the text, unaccompanied minors cannot be sent to such hubs. The regulations also contain separate provisions for individuals considered security threats. The mutual recognition of return decisions remains voluntary at this stage. Despite these developments, Frontex experienced an increase in supported returns in early 2026, with voluntary departures continuing to constitute the majority of cases.