Asylum applications in the European Union fell by approximately 12 percent in 2024, according to a new report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). The agency, based in Malta, recorded just over one million initial applications across the 27 EU member nations, along with Norway and Switzerland.
This figure marks a decrease from the 1.14 million applications filed in 2023, as detailed in the report accessed by German news agency DPA and newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
Germany’s Significant Decrease
Germany, traditionally one of the main destinations for asylum seekers in Europe, saw a notable decrease of 30.2 percent in asylum applications compared to 2023, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF). The EUAA data indicated that there were 235,925 initial applications in Germany in 2024.
Despite these numbers, Germany still received the highest number of asylum applications among European countries. The BAMF reported that the majority of applicants in Germany originated from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkiye.
Spain and Other EU Countries
Spain ranked second on the list of European countries with the most asylum applications, with 165,398 applicants. France followed closely with 158,512 applications, and Italy with 154,824.
The EUAA report highlighted that most people seeking asylum in the EU came from Syria (15 percent), Afghanistan (8.7 percent), Venezuela (7.3 percent), and Turkiye (5.5 percent).
Hungary’s Minimal Numbers Amid EU Dispute
Hungary received only 29 new asylum applications in 2024. This minimal number comes amid an escalating dispute between Brussels and Budapest over Hungary’s asylum policies. In June 2024, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) fined Hungary $205 million for violating EU asylum laws by “unlawfully detaining” asylum seekers and deporting them before they could appeal the rejection of their applications.
Migration in German Politics
Migration remains a significant issue in German politics, especially ahead of the upcoming election in February. The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been gaining ground with its anti-immigrant rhetoric, tapping into public concerns over migration and asylum policies.
