EU Asylum Applications Fall to Lowest Half-Year Total Since 2021

The European Union Agency for Asylum announced that EU member states registered approximately 332,000 asylum applications during the first half of 2026, marking a 17% year-on-year decrease and confirming a downward trend that began in 2024.

Lowest half-year total since 2021

According to the agency’s statement, this figure represents the lowest number of asylum applications recorded over any six-month period since 2021. The decline is attributed primarily to the transitional phase in Syria following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad’s rule in 2024, which led to a reduction in asylum applications submitted by Syrian nationals over the past year.

Contributing factors beyond Syria

The agency cited additional contributing factors, including EU efforts to cooperate with countries of origin and transit for migrants. It also noted that the conflict in the Middle East over the past six months “did not lead to an increase in asylum applications.”

Geographic and national distribution

Three-quarters of all asylum applications lodged between January and June 2026 were filed in four countries: France, Italy, Spain, and Germany. Afghan nationals accounted for the largest share of applicants during the first half of the year, submitting around 39,000 applications — ahead of Venezuelan and Bangladeshi nationals.