Europe refugee applications down 17%
European Union countries experienced a 17% decline in asylum applications during the first half of 2026, totaling approximately 332,000 applications, the lowest level since 2021. The agency attributed this decrease to fewer submissions from nationals of Venezuela, Syria, Colombia, Ukraine, and Turkey. The top applicants were Afghans, Venezuelans, and Bangladeshis, while France, Italy, Spain, and Germany accounted for about 75% of the requests, with high rates observed in Greece and Cyprus. The protection grant rate remained steady at 31%, but the approval rate for Syrians dropped to 19%, compared to 28% in 2025. Despite the decrease in backlog cases by 8% to 770,000, the burden of asylum and accumulated cases continued to rise. The agency is ongoing in its coordination with partners to combat human smuggling, in line with a European Migration Strategy published in January 2026.
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