The number of asylum applications in the European Union has significantly decreased in November 2024, according to the latest data from Eurostat. A total of 75,045 first-time asylum applications were submitted by non-EU nationals, a decline of around a third compared to November 2023 and a 14% drop from October 2024.
This trend is also visible in Austria, where 1,838 first-time asylum applications were registered in November, a similar decline of around a third compared to the previous year’s month. In November 2023, the number of first-time applications stood at 2,576.
Besides the first-time applications, the number of follow-up applications has also decreased. A total of 6,430 such applications were submitted across the EU, a 14% decline from October 2024 (7,475 applications) and a 5% drop from November 2023 (6,740 applications).
The majority of asylum seekers in the EU came from Syria (11,565 first-time applicants), followed by Venezuela (7,210) and Afghanistan (5,880) in November 2024. A total of 2,820 asylum applications were submitted by unaccompanied minors, with the majority coming from Syria (860), Egypt (395) and Afghanistan (385).
In terms of the population, the most asylum applications were registered in Greece, Cyprus, Spain and Luxembourg. In absolute numbers, Germany led the list with 16,820 first-time applications, followed by Spain (14,925), Italy (11,620) and France (11,345). The four countries accounted for around three-quarters of all asylum applications in the EU.
Whether this is a one-off event or a long-term trend remains to be seen. The current developments in the EU’s asylum situation raise the question of whether the situation has really improved in recent years. The claim that the asylum situation in the EU has significantly calmed down is particularly questionable in light of the upcoming German federal election and the ongoing increase in asylum applications. Moreover, the number of irregular border crossings at the EU’s external borders has also significantly increased. These data suggest a growing burden on the asylum systems within the Union and raise the question of whether the European migration policy has adequately addressed the challenges of the past years.