The number of applications for asylum in Europe has almost halved since COVID-19 containment measures came into effect. Syrians and Afghans continue to make up the biggest groups seeking protection.
Figures have increased for the first time since the refugee influx in 2015. However not all countries of origin have the same acceptance rates.
How many people asked for asylum in the European Union? Where did they come from? In what country did they request asylum? Here’s what you need to know about asylum applications in the EU in 2019.
Eurostat said the EU has experienced a 12% increase in first asylum requests in the third quarter of 2019 - compared to numbers from the previous quarter. For the first time, asylum seekers from Venezuela are in the top three of nationalities submitting asylum requests.
On December 17, 2018, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Global Compact on Refugees. Has the protection of refugees around the world improved since then?
In March, Venezuelan asylum-seekers made up the second highest number of nationals seeking protection in the EU, following those coming from Syria. How are Venezuelans coming to Europe and why are they seeking asylum?
The number of refugees using visa-free travel rights to enter the EU, especially from Latin America, is on the rise. Over the entire bloc, the number of new refugees has fallen to pre-2014 levels.
The economic turmoil in Venezuela has led to an exodus from the country. Those who are able to do so travel to Europe. In Spain, Venezuelan asylum-seekers have come to outnumber applicants from everywhere else.
The Workers' Commissions (Comisiones Obreras) trade union reported that the number of migrants without a regular permit in Catalonia rose 54.6 percent in 2017 compared to the previous year. The union said one of the main reasons for the rise is that migrants have a hard time renewing their work permits.