Typically, analyses of asylum-related migration focus on the magnitude of asylum applications in absolute terms, overlooking important differences in scale between EU+ countries. In addition to the number of asylum seekers, other factors can exert additional pressure on national authorities in the context of asylum. For example, additional resources are required to provide beneficiaries of international protection a range of support services (such as housing, healthcare and education) and integration and cultural orientation programmes, as established in the recast QD, Articles 20-35. Additionally, the removal of rejected asylum seekers from the host country generate administrative and procedural costs.

This section analyses the pressure exerted on national authorities by using three categories: asylum applications per capita, positive decisions at first instance per capita (i.e. the number of beneficiaries) and negative decisions at first instance per capita (i.e. the number of rejected asylum seekers). To account for differences in the size of countries, the indicators are weighted by population size (per 1 million inhabitants). Displaced persons seeking or receiving temporary protection are excluded from the calculations.

Any mention of ‘pressure’ on asylum and reception systems in EU+ countries should not be construed as referring to a situation of ‘migratory pressure’ as defined in the forthcoming Asylum and Migration Management Regulation, whereby it implies disproportionate obligations and might lead to solidarity contributions.