BRUSSELS:By the end of June, EU+ countries received 513, 000 applications for international protection. While the figure was stable compared to the first six months of 2023, it masks some important changes at the national level.

Germany received one-fifth fewer applications while Italy received an increase of over a third. In Spain, overall applications have been stable but at a high level.

Analysis released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) reveals that between January and June 2024, some 513, 000 asylum applications were received in the EU+. With more applications typically expected in the latter six months, the Agency estimates that EU+ countries could receive around a million applications by the end of the year.

In the first half of 2024, applications from Syrians (71, 000) increased by 7 percent compared to the same period in 2023. Afghans (45, 000), while remaining the second largest nationality group, lodged a fifth fewer applications (- 18 percent). After a surge of boat arrivals in th
e Canary Islands in recent months, by the end of June, Malians (9, 600) and Senegalese (7, 500) both lodged three times as many applications compared to the same period in 2023.

While Germany (124, 000) received almost a quarter of all applications in the EU+ in the first half of the year, this represents a one fifth decrease compared to the same period in 2023. Though Spain (88, 000) received the 2nd highest number of applications, this was stable year-over-year. On the other hand, applications in Italy (85, 000) increased by over a third. Cyprus (4, 900) continued to receive the most applications per capita.

Source: Emirates News Agency