First-time arrivals and applications of people seeking asylum in the EU have declined dramatically in recent months, a new report reveals.

The report, from the EU’s statistics agency Eurostat, says asylum applications have dropped 17 per cent over the northern summer.

Despite the lower numbers, the issue of asylum arrivals is becoming increasingly divisive across Europe.

Syrians are still the largest group of people seeking asylum with more than 10,000 first-time applicants. Venezuelans followed them with 6,340 and Afghans with 5,930 applications.

Germany, Spain, Italy and France still host the highest number of first-time asylum applicants. These four countries are processing 76 per cent of all first-time applications in the EU. 

According to the report, in June the EU total of first-time asylum applicants was 15.7 per 100,000 people.

Among the 70,375 seeking asylum in the EU, a bit over 2,000 are unaccompanied minors.

The majority of underaged asylum seekers are originally from Syria (675), Afghanistan (405) and Egypt (255).

Most of these children apply for asylum in Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain.

Despite the drop, migration remains a divisive political issue across EU member states, forcing the topic to the top of national agendas.

The 17 per cent drop in asylum applications came as some of the bloc’s countries announced new tighter border controls.

Germany decided to tighten its land borders for six months in September and has allowed its law enforcement to reject more migrants right at its borders.

Temporary border controls are set up at the land borders with France, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark, adding to the existing checks, now totaling at all land crossings with nine European countries.

“Until we achieve strong protection of the EU’s external borders with the new Common European Asylum System, we need to strengthen controls at our national borders,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said.

The Netherlands government has also confirmed its intention to ask “as soon as possible” for an opt-out clause from the EU’s migration and asylum rules.

Read the full report: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/products-eurostat-news/w/ddn-20240920-2