3.13.1 Granting international protection: Recognition rates at first instance

3.13.1. Granting international protection: Recognition rates at first instance

icon for recognition rates at first instance

The recognition rate refers to the number of positive outcomes as a percentage of the total number of decisions on applications for international protection. For reporting in the Asylum Report, positive decisions calculated in the recognition rate include EU-harmonised statuses only (i.e. refugee and subsidiary protection). At times, the recognition rate which includes national forms of protection may be presented for countries where there is a considerable difference with the recognition rate of EU-harmonised statuses.xxxiv

The recognition rate for specific nationalities of applicants can indicate which citizenships are granted protection more or less frequently.

In 2023, the recognition rate at first instance for EU-regulated forms of protection climbed to 43%, increasing for the third year in a row (see Figure 17). This was the highest rate since 2016 (when 57% of decisions granted refugee status or subsidiary protection). The rise was mostly driven by increased recognition rates for Afghans, Iraqis, Palestinians and Ukrainians and by more decisions issued to Syrians.

Recognition rate climbs to highest in 7 years

Figure 17. First instance decisions by type of outcome (left axis) and overall recognition rate (right axis) in EU+ countries, 2015–2023 — **Note:** Data were not available for Portugal for October-December 2023.
*Source:* EUAA EPS data as of 1 February 2024.

Of the 294,000 positive decisions issued in 2023, 134,000 granted subsidiary protection, representing 46% of total positive decisions. This was an increase by 4 percentage points compared to 2022 and by 14 points compared to 2020. It was also the most ever in relative terms since at least 2014. Over one-quarter of negative decisions for EU-regulated types of protection granted some form of national protection instead. Almost all of these decisions were issued in Spain and Germany.

3.13.1.1. Breakdown by citizenship