The EU receives almost a million asylum applications in 2022

Nearly one million people sought international protection in the European Union in 2022, according to data released Wednesday, bringing the number of asylum applications to a level not seen since the refugee crisis in 2015 and 2016. .

The European Union Agency for Asylum said 966,000 applications were received last year across the EU’s 27 partners plus Norway and Switzerland, 50% more than in 2021 This does not include the more than four million Ukrainian refugees who have been granted temporary protection by Brussels. , a special mechanism activated to prevent the collapse of an already bogged down system.

According to the agency, the increase is due to the continued easing of travel restrictions imposed by COVID-19, growing food insecurity and conflict in many parts of the world. Although most applicants enter the EU legally, usually by air and on travel visas, some have crossed land and sea borders without permission, including via the Western Balkans and the Mediterranean.

After more than a decade of war and economic crisis, Syrians remain the main nationality among asylum seekers in Europe, with more than 130,000 people. They are closely followed by Afghans fleeing the growing security, humanitarian and financial problems that arose after the Taliban took power in August 2021, with 129,000 applications.

In third place were the Turks, whose numbers doubled to 55,000 cases. Among the reasons for the increase are rising inflation and democratic “backsliding”, the agency said.

In many places, reception centers are overflowing and asylum seekers are left on the streets.

The recent earthquake that killed 46,000 people and left thousands homeless in Turkey and Syria has fueled fears of a possible increase in irregular border crossings into Greece. Earlier this month, Germany offered to temporarily ease visa restrictions for some of the survivors and Spain pledged to relocate a small group of 100 vulnerable Syrians to Turkey, which is home to four million refugees. .

Last year there were also record asylum applications from Venezuelans, Colombians, Bangladeshis and Georgians, as well as Moroccans, Tunisians and Egyptians. About 4% of applicants were unaccompanied minors.

The European agency did not reveal which EU country was with the most applications, but a report on the bloc’s internal migration seen by The Associated Press included Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Italy among the top five.

Authorities adjudicated over 600,000 cases in 2022, but received even more applications, which contributed to the increase in the existing backlog. Of the applications examined, 40% were granted refugee status or subsidiary protection, mainly Syrians, Belarusians, Eritreans, Yemenis and Malians, as well as the majority of Ukrainians who decided to seek asylum instead of temporary protection.