United Nations refugee agency data shows refugees and asylum seekers in Europe keep rising
The number of refugees and asylum seekers in Europe has seen a significant surge in 2023, according to the data from UN refugee agency. Over 1.1 million asylum applications are expected by the end of the year. This marks the highest numbers since the peak of the 2015-2016 migrant crisis. In the first half of 2023 alone, 519,000 claims were lodged. This represents a 28% increase compared to 2022. Conflicts in Syria, Afghanistan, and sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the ongoing war in Ukraine, are the main drivers of this upward trend. Refugees from these regions are seeking safety and better living conditions in Europe. The most common destination for these asylum seekers are Germany, Spain, and France.
Germany continues to be the leading country in the EU for asylum seekers, receiving about 30% of the total applications. Spain and France are second and third in this list. Syrians, Afghans, and Venezuelans make up a significant portion of the applicants. But besides refugees, there has also been a notable increase in asylum seekers from countries like Turkey, Colombia, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.
An addition to the asylum seekers
But there is an addition to the asylum applications. The EU has granted temporary protection to over 4 million Ukrainians, due to the ongoing Russian invasion. This additional influx has placed substantial pressure on the asylum systems of many European countries. It led to long processing times and increased numbers of pending cases.
EU countries are currently facing challenges in managing this increasing migration flow. Currently, there are over 880,000 asylum cases still pending a decision by the end of 2023. The European Union is pushing for migration reforms aimed at speeding up asylum processes and ensuring a more equitable distribution of migrants across member states. These reforms are considered crucial ahead of the European Parliament elections in 2024, as migration remains a central political issue in the region.
The EU’s new Migration Pact will likely play a key role in addressing these issues by reforming the asylum system and redistributing responsibilities among countries, but significant disagreements among member states have delayed progress.
