EU Sees Significant Drop in Asylum Applications, According to Data
In 2024, asylum applications in Europe saw a decrease of 12%, based on information from the EUAA. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
Asylum applications to the EU saw a significant decline in 2024 compared to the previous year, as reported by Welt am Sonntag on Saturday, citing data from the European Union Agency for Asylum.
According to the EUAA’s figures, there were 1 million initial applications submitted across the 27 EU member states, along with Norway and Switzerland, down from 1.14 million in 2023—a decrease of 12%.
The majority of applications came from asylum seekers of Syrian, Afghan, Venezuelan, and Turkish origins.
Germany was the top destination for asylum seekers, receiving 235,900 initial applications. Nevertheless, the country experienced a 30.2% drop in applications from the previous year, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
Spain ranked second among EU countries for the number of asylum applications, with 165,300 submissions, followed by France at 158,500 and Italy at 154,800. Conversely, Hungary recorded only 29 new asylum applications in the year, consistently clashing with Brussels over its refusal to accept asylum seekers and advocating for changes to the bloc's immigration policies.
The EUAA pointed out that, despite the overall decline, certain countries still face considerable pressure due to persistently high application numbers.
This reduction in asylum applications occurs amidst ongoing EU discussions on migration policies and the distribution of refugees among member states. For example, Sweden reported granting the fewest residence permits to asylum seekers in 2024, as noted by its Migration Agency, in response to government efforts to diminish immigration.
The EU continues to receive a notable influx of refugees from Ukraine, with around 4.2 million Ukrainians granted temporary protection status in the bloc as of October 2024. This status provides displaced individuals with access to housing, education, and employment opportunities in host countries.
The scheme has been extended to March 2026, yet some EU nations have begun reviewing their support mechanisms, claiming insufficient resources to manage the influx of migrants.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
According to the EUAA’s figures, there were 1 million initial applications submitted across the 27 EU member states, along with Norway and Switzerland, down from 1.14 million in 2023—a decrease of 12%.
The majority of applications came from asylum seekers of Syrian, Afghan, Venezuelan, and Turkish origins.
Germany was the top destination for asylum seekers, receiving 235,900 initial applications. Nevertheless, the country experienced a 30.2% drop in applications from the previous year, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
Spain ranked second among EU countries for the number of asylum applications, with 165,300 submissions, followed by France at 158,500 and Italy at 154,800. Conversely, Hungary recorded only 29 new asylum applications in the year, consistently clashing with Brussels over its refusal to accept asylum seekers and advocating for changes to the bloc's immigration policies.
The EUAA pointed out that, despite the overall decline, certain countries still face considerable pressure due to persistently high application numbers.
This reduction in asylum applications occurs amidst ongoing EU discussions on migration policies and the distribution of refugees among member states. For example, Sweden reported granting the fewest residence permits to asylum seekers in 2024, as noted by its Migration Agency, in response to government efforts to diminish immigration.
The EU continues to receive a notable influx of refugees from Ukraine, with around 4.2 million Ukrainians granted temporary protection status in the bloc as of October 2024. This status provides displaced individuals with access to housing, education, and employment opportunities in host countries.
The scheme has been extended to March 2026, yet some EU nations have begun reviewing their support mechanisms, claiming insufficient resources to manage the influx of migrants.
Mathilde Moreau contributed to this report for TROIB News
