Algeria and Morocco with highest EU deportation orders in Eurostat report

Figures published by the EU’s official statistics agency, Eurostat, reveal a rise in issued leave orders for third-country nationals in the first quarter of 2025, as reported by Hespress on July 1st. The European Union countries issued over 123,000 orders for third-country nationals to leave EU territory, an increase of 18% compared to the same period last year.

The statistics show a growing trend of stricter migration enforcement across the bloc, with Algerian and Moroccan nationals topping the list of those affected. More than 9,990 Algerians and approximately 7,450 Moroccans were served with official departure orders between January and March 2025, making them the top two nationalities among non-EU citizens targeted by such measures.

The Eurostat report underscores the mounting pressure on EU countries to manage irregular migration, especially as geopolitical instability and economic hardship continue to drive people toward Europe’s borders. The rise in departure orders reflects a tougher stance by member states, particularly France, Germany, and Spain.

France led the bloc in issuing departure orders, with over 34,000 cases, followed by Germany (17,000) and Spain (16,000). France also topped the list of actual returns, having deported 3,695 individuals. In total, more than 28,000 individuals were forcibly returned to their countries of origin in the first quarter of 2025, representing a 6% increase from the same period in 2024.

Meanwhile, Georgian nationals recorded the highest number of returns (2,100), followed by Syrians (2,000) and Albanians (1,860). These figures illustrate a broader enforcement strategy that targets both asylum seekers and economic migrants.

The data also highlighted continued challenges for North African nationals seeking asylum in the EU. A separate Eurostat report published last month revealed that Moroccan asylum applications had an approval rate of just 7.4% in 2024 – one of the lowest acceptance rates among all applicant nationalities. 

The growing number of deportation orders and returns is raising questions among human rights groups, who warn of the risk of refoulement and the need for more humane and case-sensitive migration policies, particularly as tensions rise in the Sahel and Mediterranean regions.

As EU countries continue to tighten border controls and streamline deportation procedures, North African and Middle Eastern migrants face increasing uncertainty and legal vulnerability across Europe.

Hespress, Eurostat, Maghrebi.org