Asylum applications to the European Union (EU) and associated countries (EU+) decreased by 23% in the first half of 2025, totaling 399,000 applications compared to 518,000 during the same period in 2024.
The significant decline is primarily attributed to a sharp reduction in Syrians seeking protection. In the first half of 2025, Syrians lodged approximately 25,000 asylum requests, a 66% decrease from the previous year. This downturn follows the ousting of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, leading to improved conditions in Syria and a decrease in displacement.
Conversely, Venezuelans have become the largest nationality group seeking asylum in the EU+. In the first half of 2025, 49,000 Venezuelans applied for asylum, marking a 31% increase compared to the same period in 2024. Spain received the majority of these applications, attributed to shared language, existing diaspora, and favorable protection policies.
Afghans, with 42,000 applications, were the second-largest group, followed by Bangladeshis and Turks, each with 17,000 applications. Other nationalities, including Haitians and Malians, also showed increased asylum-seeking trends.
Germany, traditionally the leading destination for asylum seekers in the EU+, received 70,000 applications in the first half of 2025, a 43% decrease from the previous year. France and Spain surpassed Germany in the number of applications received.
The EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA) attributes the overall decline in asylum applications not to changes in EU asylum policies but to shifting geopolitical conditions, particularly in Syria.
Despite the decrease in applications, the number of pending asylum cases remains high, with approximately 918,000 cases awaiting a first-instance decision at the end of June 2025.
The EU continues to monitor these trends closely, balancing the need for protection with the capacity to manage asylum applications effectively.
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