1
 Introduction

Key Data

  • In 2025, approximately 822,000 applications for international protection were lodged in the EU+, representing a 19% decrease compared to 2024.

  • The decline was driven largely by fewer Syrian applications: down by 72%, from 151,000 in 2024 to 42,000 in 2025, following political developments in Syria. There were notable decreases also for Turks and Colombians, among others.

  • In contrast, Afghan and Venezuelan applications increased. Venezuelan applicants mainly entered the EU+ via visa-free travel, while many Afghan applications were repeat claims lodged by individuals already present in the EU+ following legal developments.

  • Germany received the most applications, followed by France, Spain and Italy, while Greece and Cyprus received the most per capita.

  • At the end of 2025, approximately 863,000 cases were pending at first instance. Across all instances, an estimated 1.2 million cases remained pending.

  • The EU+ recognition rate fell to 29% in 2025, largely because fewer decisions were issued to Syrian applicants, who historically have higher recognition rates but also due to more decisions issued to low-recognition-rate nationalities.

  • At the end of 2025, approximately 4.5 million beneficiaries of Temporary Protection were registered in the EU+, having fled Ukraine following Russia’s full-scale invasion. Germany and Poland hosted the largest numbers, while Czechia hosted the highest number per capita

 

Monthly asylum applications lodged in the EU+, by year

Asylum applications in the EU+ fell by around one fifth in 2025 compared to 2024. This decline occurred alongside an even sharper reduction in detections of irregular border-crossings but it did not stem from a single cause. Rather, it reflected a structural reconfiguration of asylum dynamics, shaped by distinct developments affecting different nationalities, as well as broader policy and geopolitical shifts.

The largest numerical change concerned Syrian nationals, whose applications dropped sharply following a regime change in Syria. At the same time, a landmark caselaw within the EU+ reshaped applications lodged by Afghans, leading to a surge in repeated applications without any corresponding increase in arrivals at the external border. Meanwhile, Venezuelan nationals continued to apply in record numbers, driven by a combination of ongoing crisis at home, shifting political responses abroad, and the availability of visa-free mobility into the EU+.

Taken together, these developments eased immediate pressure on asylum systems in 2025. However, they point less to a resolution of displacement drivers than to a reconfiguration of migration pathways and protection strategies, both within and beyond the EU+.