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Since reaching a 7-year peak in last October, there has been a sustained decrease in the number of asylum applications received in EU+ countries. In August 2024 applications stabilised at 78 000, with those from Syrians also decreasing by almost a quarter year-over-year. In contrast, the number of decisions pending at first instance reached an almost 8-year high, however.

The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has released updated analysis showing that EU+ asylum authorities continue to receive fewer applications for asylum compared to the long-term peak of last autumn, stabilising recently with 78 000 applications received in August 2024. Syrians (14 000) represented nearly a fifth of all applications lodged in the EU+. Though this number is a slight 8 % increase compared to July, it is down by a significant margin compared to August 2023 (- 23 %).

While the Agency has observed a continuous downward trend in asylum applications received in EU+ countries month-to-month in 2024, the number of applications pending a decision at first instance has continued to rise. At the end of August 2024, some 959 000 cases were awaiting a first instance decision, up by nearly a third compared to a year previously (31 %), and is the most in nearly eight years.

Key receiving EU+ countries and nationalities applying

In August 2024, Germany (20 000) remained the top destination for asylum seekers in the EU+, receiving 26 % of all applications. The next three EU+ countries each received similar numbers of applications: France (12 000), Spain (11 000), and Italy (10 000).

The main receiving countries differ in the origins of applicants. In Germany, half of all applications were lodged by Syrians (6 800) and Afghans (3 000); in France, the top three nationalities were Afghans (1 100), Congolese – DR (1 000) and Haitians (900); in Spain, 60 % were lodged by Venezuelans (4 200) and Colombians (2 200); and in Italy a third of all applications were lodged by Bangladeshis (2 000) and Peruvians (1 100).

From January to August 2024, Frontex reported that detections of illegal border-crossings on the Western African route more than doubled, compared to the same period in 2023. According to these data, Malians were the most commonly detected, leading to a commensurate increase in the number of asylum applications. Though applications by Malians (1 000) in the EU+ in August 2024 had increased by 52%, compared to a year earlier; they were down significantly compared to the peak of April 2024.

In August, Venezuelans (4 800) and Colombians (3 000) continued to seek international protection in the EU+ in large numbers;  in Spain in particular. These Latin American nationalities benefit from visa-free access to the Schengen area, which means that they can arrive legally on flights from their home countries. In fact, around 20 % of applications by all nationalities in August were lodged by nationalities with visa-free access to the Schengen area.

Persistent pressure on national administrations

Comparisons between the number of applications received in different EU+ countries is not always the most representative measure of pressure on national administrations, as they have different sized asylum and reception systems. 

With a population size of around 10.4 million, Greece (7 000) received 1 application for every 1 500 inhabitants. Though Germany, with its larger population of 84 million, received many more applications for asylum, the per capita rate was lower at 1 application per 4 200 inhabitants. In the cases of Cyprus (270) and Belgium (3 000), while receiving very different numbers of applications per se, the two countries received very similar numbers per capita, around 1 application for every 3 500 inhabitants, each.