The report ‘Pushbacks Report 2025‘ documents pushbacks from EU Member States to third countries in 2025, highlighting ongoing violations of international and EU law.
It draws from NGO reports, research groups, human rights organizations, UN agencies, government services and interviews with organizations active in Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. In total, 80,865 pushbacks were recorded. Overall, the normalization of pushbacks persists, requiring stronger enforcement and greater accountability from both Member States and EU institutions. At the same time, 2025 has witnessed a trend towards externalization of border management. The EU finances third countries to prevent people seeking protection to reach EU borders, resulting in offshoring human rights violations. The result is an increase in pullbacks and a decrease in pushbacks on certain routes. In 2025, the Libyan coast guard, financially and logistically supported by the EU, prevented 27,116 people from reaching EU borders. Poland pushed back 14,754 asylum seekers, followed by Bulgaria whose authorities have executed 13,568 pushbacks. The report concludes with recommendations for the EU, its Member States, Frontex and NHCR to address these ongoing human rights violations.
The report ‘Pushbacks Report 2025‘ documents pushbacks from EU Member States to third countries in 2025, highlighting ongoing violations of international and EU law.
It draws from NGO reports, research groups, human rights organizations, UN agencies, government services and interviews with organizations active in Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Greece, Poland, Croatia, Bulgaria and Romania. In total, 80,865 pushbacks were recorded. Overall, the normalization of pushbacks persists, requiring stronger enforcement and greater accountability from both Member States and EU institutions. At the same time, 2025 has witnessed a trend towards externalization of border management. The EU finances third countries to prevent people seeking protection to reach EU borders, resulting in offshoring human rights violations. The result is an increase in pullbacks and a decrease in pushbacks on certain routes. In 2025, the Libyan coast guard, financially and logistically supported by the EU, prevented 27,116 people from reaching EU borders. Poland pushed back 14,754 asylum seekers, followed by Bulgaria whose authorities have executed 13,568 pushbacks. The report concludes with recommendations for the EU, its Member States, Frontex and NHCR to address these ongoing human rights violations.
Links:
80.000 illegale ‘pushbacks’ aan Europese buitengrenzen: “ICE-geweld komt ook hier voor”
Geschokt door de praktijken van ICE? Kijk dan eens naar wat Europa zelf doet
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