Asylum requests in Europe drop to five-year low in first half of 2026
The European Union Agency for Asylum said this decline is due to the ongoing political transition in Syria as well as the EU's cooperation with countries of origin and transit.
In the first half of 2026, asylum applications across Europe hit a five-year low, according to recent statistics from the European Union Agency for Asylum. Together with Switzerland and Norway, EU member states received approximately 332,000 requests for international protection. This represents a 17% decrease from the same period in the previous year, indicating a downward trend since 2024.
The reduction in applications is attributed to the ongoing political transition in Syria and the EU's collaboration with countries of origin and transit. Despite conflicts escalating in the Middle East, these conflicts have not resulted in an increase in asylum requests within Europe. The EU has entered into agreements with Tunisia and Mauritania, providing financial assistance for border control, aiming to reduce irregular migration flows.
France, Italy, Spain, and Germany received the highest number of applications, with France leading at 69,000, followed by Italy at 66,000, Spain at 55,000, and Germany at 55,000. Greece had the highest per capita applications, with 23,000 per 400 residents. Out of all the applicants, 31% received international protection at the initial stage, with refugee status being granted more often than subsidiary protection.
The countries with the highest recognition rates were Mali (87%), Haiti (84%), and Afghanistan (73%). The main applicant groups were Afghans (39,000), Venezuelans (33,500), and Bangladeshis (19,500). These figures are based on the implementation of the new Migration and Asylum Pact on June 12, which includes mandatory checks at EU external borders and accelerated asylum request procedures.
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