The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has released analysis indicating that EU+ countries continue to receive high levels of asylum applications. In January 2024, some 94 000 applications were lodged in the EU+, down from recent peaks but in line with expectations for the winter period.

In January 2024, asylum applications by Syrians (14 000) were down by a significant margin compared to the seven-year peak of October 2023, but still represented 15 % of all applications lodged. Afghans (8 600) remained the second largest group, despite lodging 29 % fewer applications in January 2024 compared to the year before. In a trend that began in October 2023, Senegalese (1 300) applicants have now become a main nationality applying for international protection in the EU+, due to many more applications being lodged, mostly in Spain.

Key EU+ countries continue to receive most applications

In January 2024, Germany (28 000) remained the foremost destination of asylum seekers in the EU+, receiving 30 % of all applications lodged. In fact, Germany received more applications than France (14 000) and Spain (14 000), combined. Italy (13 000) also continued to feature prominently in the asylum landscape. These four countries, collectively, received very nearly three-quarters of all applications lodged in the EU+.

The number of applications is not always the most representative measure of pressure on Member States, as they have different sized asylum and reception administrations. In January 2024, Cyprus (1 000), with its small population size of around 921 000, received 1 application for every 943 inhabitants. In contrast Germany, given its larger population of 84 million, received around 1 application for every 3 000 inhabitants. While receiving very different numbers per se, Belgium (3 100) and Luxembourg (173) actually received similar numbers of applications per capita.