Asylum in the EU in 2024: Germany remains the most popular country, while the number of Ukrainian migrants decreased

The European Union Asylum Agency (EUAA) recently released data on asylum trends in the European Union for the first half of 2024. These data reflect the dynamics of migration processes and the effectiveness of the EU asylum policy. Volodymyr Bogatyr, a lawyer, Honored Lawyer of Ukraine, analyzed the asylum trends in the EU that emerged in the first half of 2024 for UNN.

Key indicators

Total number of applications

In the first half of 2024, EU countries received about 450,000 asylum applications. This is 15% more than in the same period in 2023.

Countries of origin of the applicants

1.             Syria: 20% of the total number of applications

2.             Afghanistan: 15%

3.             Venezuela: 10%

4.             Colombia: 8%

5.             Ukraine: 7%

Destination countries

1.             Germany: 25% of all applications

2.             France: 15%

3.             Spain: 12%

4.             Italy: 10%

5.             Austria: 8%

Trend Analysis

Increase in the number of applications

The 15% increase in the number of applications compared to the previous year may be due to the following:

-            deterioration of the situation in the countries of origin

-            easing travel restrictions related to COVID-19

-            Changes in migration policy in some EU countries

Changes in the composition of applicants

-            the increase in the share of applicants from Venezuela and Colombia indicates an increase in migration from Latin America

-            the number of Ukrainian applicants has decreased compared to 2022-2023, which may indicate a stabilization of the situation in Ukraine

Burden on EU countries

-            Germany remains the main destination country, receiving a quarter of all applications

-            Spain has risen to third place in terms of the number of applications, which may be due to increased migration from Latin America

Recognition level

The overall level of recognition (granting refugee status or additional protection) was 40%, which is 5% lower than in 2023.

·            highest level of recognition:

1.             Syria: 85%

2.             Afghanistan: 75%

3.             Ukraine: 70%

·            lowest level of recognition:

1.             Georgia: 5%

2.             Moldova: 8%

3.             Nigeria: 10%

Challenges and prospects

The growing burden on the EU asylum systems requires additional resources and optimization of the application process.

Increasing migration from Latin America requires adapting integration policies to new cultural contexts.

A decrease in the level of recognition may indicate a tightening of the criteria for evaluating applications or a change in the situation in the countries of origin.

Conclusions

Migration pressure on the EU continues to grow, which requires further improvement of the common European asylum system.

The geography of applicants' countries of origin is expanding, which creates new challenges for the EU's integration policy.

The difference in recognition levels between countries of origin remains significant, which may indicate the need to harmonize approaches to assessing asylum applications in different EU countries.

These data demonstrate the dynamic nature of migration processes in Europe and highlight the importance of continuous monitoring and adaptation of asylum policies.