The European Union saw a 38% decrease in irregular migrant entries in 2024, marking the lowest level since 2021, according to the EU border agency Frontex. Despite this overall drop, crossings at the EU’s borders with Belarus and Russia surged by 192%, reaching 17,000.
Notable numbers of migrants and asylum seekers continued to arrive from Syria, Afghanistan, Egypt, and various African nations, even as migration routes into the EU shifted.
Irregular migration remains a significant political issue, with far-right and populist parties, particularly in Germany’s upcoming elections, advocating for stricter migration controls.
Frontex attributed the overall reduction, with just over 239,000 irregular crossings, to enhanced EU and partner efforts against smuggling networks, achieving the lowest figures since the COVID-affected year of 2021.
The decrease was largely driven by a 59% drop in the Central Mediterranean route due to fewer departures from Tunisia and Libya, and a 78% reduction in the Western Balkan route, thanks to regional efforts to curb migration.
Conversely, irregular crossings on the Eastern Mediterranean route increased by 14% to 69,400, influenced by new routes from eastern Libya, primarily involving migrants from Syria, Afghanistan, and Egypt. Additionally, the Western African route saw an 18% rise, with nearly 47,000 arrivals at the Canary Islands, driven by departures from Mauritania.
“While 2024 saw a significant decrease in irregular border crossings, it also revealed emerging risks and shifting migration patterns,” stated Frontex head Hans Leijtens.
