Latest asylum trends in Europe

In the first five months of 2014, there was a 19% rise in the number of applications for asylum in the EU compared with the same period last year. This follows the 30% increase seen in numbers of asylum applications in 2013 compared to 2012 (see also EASO’s Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the EU). Press conference with Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and EASO's executive director can be seen here.

Compared with 2013, in 2014 new trends seem to be emerging. Numbers of Syrian asylum-seekers continue to rise; Syrians have increased in absolute and relative terms compared to 2013 and are in the top three countries of origin for 16 member states. There has been a substantial increase in the numbers of Eritreans in recent months – arriving in Italy and applying in a number of northern countries Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden . Applications from citizens of the Russian Federation have declined significantly since 2013.

Since March 2014, there has also been a significant rise in the numbers of Ukrainian citizens applying for asylum in the EU+ (member states plus Norway and Switzerland). In the last 20 years the average number of applications was of roughly 100 applicants per month. From March to May, over 2,000 applications were made . The new applications are in large part (over 95%) from first time applicants (i.e. persons who have never applied before in the EU) and are widely distributed throughout Europe.

As part of its early warning and preparedness system, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has recently begun to collect operational data from member states on various aspects of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

This has led to a much faster and more comparable data collection on the practical functioning of the Common European Asylum System. Better data leads to a greater common understanding between member states, EASO and the European Commission. This is evidenced by increased requests for EASO operational support as a normal avenue of cooperation. Currently EASO is on the ground in four member states, namely Bulgaria, Italy, Greece and Cyprus. All four plans include measures on improving statistical information. EASO’s role will be key in 2014-15 in ensuring the implementation in practical terms of the changes introduced in the Common European Asylum System via the recast of the asylum acquis.

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