MENA Newswire News Desk: EU+ countries received over 513,000 applications for international protection in the first half of 2024, according to new data released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). Although the overall number of applications remained stable compared to the same period in 2023, significant shifts were observed at the national level. Germany, which accounted for nearly a quarter of all applications in the EU+, saw a sharp decline, with applications dropping by 20% compared to the first half of 2023.
In contrast, Italy witnessed a surge, with applications rising by more than a third. Spain maintained its position as the second-highest recipient of applications, with numbers holding steady at around 88,000. The report also highlighted a rise in applications from certain nationalities. Syrians led the group, with 71,000 applications, a 7% increase compared to 2023. While Afghan applications fell by 18%, they remained the second-largest group at 45,000.
Significant increases were also recorded among applicants from Mali and Senegal, particularly due to a rise in boat arrivals in Spain’s Canary Islands. Malians and Senegalese filed three times as many applications as in the same period last year. Looking ahead, the EUAA estimates that asylum applications in the EU+ could reach one million by the end of 2024, as applications typically surge in the second half of the year.
Cyprus, meanwhile, remains the country receiving the most applications per capita, reflecting ongoing pressure on smaller EU+ states. This trend underscores the diverse challenges faced by EU+ countries as they respond to shifting migration patterns, particularly as conflict and instability continue to drive movement from regions like Syria and Afghanistan.