WARSAW, POLAND / RankWire.AI / – The European Border and Coast Guard Agency provides operational assistance to national governments after authorities issue enforceable return orders. These orders are applied once individuals have exhausted all legal avenues to stay within the EU. It is then up to national authorities to decide whether each individual departs voluntarily or through enforced removal. Frontex supports eligible cases by offering operational aid, which may include case management, travel coordination, document support, and assistance during departures from participating member states.
Germany, France, Cyprus, Belgium, and Sweden reported the highest number of Frontex-supported returns from January through June. Most returnees held citizenship from Türkiye, Syria, Georgia, Colombia, India, Brazil, Albania, Morocco, Nigeria, and Iraq. During this six-month period, Frontex assigned 109 Return Specialists across 15 member states and deployed 118 Return Escort and Support Officers in 11 countries to assist national authorities with departure procedures and related logistics.
Voluntary departures continue to constitute the majority
Support for reintegration within the EU also saw a significant rise during the first half of the year. Nearly 14,000 individuals registered for reintegration assistance, compared to around 8,000 in the same period of 2025. Over 80% of these participants had returned voluntarily. The available support services include vocational training, counseling, and grants for small businesses. Member states may also register eligible returnees for aid even if Frontex did not directly facilitate their journey back home.
Return Specialists collaborate with national agencies on individual cases, helping to clarify available return and reintegration options. They can assist in obtaining identification and travel documents from countries of origin. Meanwhile, Return Escort and Support Officers accompany certain departures, managing practical arrangements at airports and during flights. These deployments are part of Frontex’s broader return efforts across the EU, with the agency’s data distinguishing operational support from wider reintegration registrations.
Progress in EU return policies in 2026
This latest data emerges as the EU advances efforts to develop a unified legal framework for returns. Negotiators reached a provisional agreement on new rules on June 1. The European Parliament adopted its first-reading stance on June 17 with 418 votes in favor, 218 against, and 30 abstentions. The proposed framework applies to third-country nationals without a legal right to remain and introduces a European Return Order to facilitate recognition of return decisions across member states.
The approved framework also permits the establishment of return hubs in non-EU countries, provided arrangements adhere to international law and human rights standards. Under the current text, unaccompanied minors cannot be sent to such hubs. The rules also specify separate measures for individuals considered security threats. Mutual recognition of return decisions remains voluntary at this stage. Within this policy context, Frontex recorded increased supported returns early in 2026, with voluntary departures still making up the majority of cases.