Asylum applications within the EU fell by 12% in 2024 compared to the previous year, according to official figures.
Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), as reported by Welt am Sonntag, reveals a substantial decrease in EU asylum applications in 2024. The total number of initial applications across the 27 EU member states, Norway, and Switzerland, dropped to 1 million in 2024 from 1.14 million in 2023.
Syrian nationals constituted the largest group of applicants (15%), followed by Afghans (8.7%), Venezuelans (7.3%), and Turks (5.5%).
Germany remained the top destination for asylum seekers, receiving 235,900 applications, although this represents a 30.2% decrease compared to 2023, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). Spain (165,300 applications), France (158,500), and Italy (154,800) followed as preferred destinations, while Hungary received only 29 applications, prompting further disputes between Budapest and Brussels over immigration policies.
Despite the overall decrease, the EUAA highlights that several member states still face considerable pressure due to persistent high application numbers.
This decline in applications occurs amidst ongoing EU discussions on migration policies and refugee distribution. Sweden, for example, granted the fewest residence permits in 2024, reflecting the government’s immigration reduction efforts. The EU continues to provide temporary protection to approximately 4.2 million Ukrainian refugees (as of October 2024), offering access to housing, education, and employment. This scheme’s extension to March 2026 has, however, led some EU nations to review their support, citing resource constraints.