Germany is increasing deportations of migrants within the EU, with Croatia set to receive the highest number under the Dublin III Regulation, which mandates asylum seekers be sent back to the country where they first entered the EU.
On November 13, 2024, a charter flight from Munich to Zagreb returned 15 individuals from Syria, Afghanistan, Turkey, Jordan, and Iran. This reflects Germany’s effort to expedite returns, as in 2023, over 74,000 requests were made to deport migrants to EU countries, primarily Croatia, but only 5,053 deportations were completed.
Germany plans to intensify deportations throughout 2024, sending 40,000 requests to other EU countries. However, Italy has been resistant to accepting deported migrants, while Croatia has been more cooperative.
Despite these efforts, deportation failures remain high, with 62% of planned returns in 2024 unsuccessful due to factors like individuals evading authorities or court rulings halting deportations.
