The number of asylum applications submitted for the first time by European Union (EU) countries recorded a 27% annual increase to 80,375 in May, with Germany, Spain, Italy and France accounting for 78% of applications.
The data, published on Friday by the EU’s statistical office, Eurostat, shows that in May this year, 80,375 citizens of countries outside the EU first applied for international protection from member states of the community bloc.
Compared to the same month in 2022, there was an increase of 27% (compared to the 63,455 asylum applications at the time).
In terms of subsequent asylum applications, there was a 16% drop from May 2022 to May 2023, from 6,370 to 5,325.
According to Eurostat, the majority of new asylum seekers were Syrians and Afghans.
As in previous months, Syrians formed the largest group of asylum seekers in May of this year (12,110 new asylum seekers), followed by Afghans (7,210), Venezuelans (7,015) and Colombians (6,745).
After the war in Ukraine caused by the Russian invasion, the number of Ukrainians who applied for asylum for the first time in May 2023 was 945, after successive decreases in the previous months, which are also justified by the system of temporary protection.
The Russians, on the other hand, occupy 14th place with 1,435 first asylum applications to the EU in May this year.
Among the EU Member States with the most applications for international protection, Germany, Spain, Italy and France stand out, which together accounted for 78% of applications.
Specifically, Germany received 23,235 orders, Spain 17,405, Italy 11,045 and France 10,850.
Portugal registered 175 asylum applications for the first time in May 2023.
Per million inhabitants, the total number of new asylum seekers in the EU was 179 in May 2023, with the highest figures recorded in Cyprus (1,092 applicants per million people) and Austria (448), and the lowest in Hungary. (0.2).
This month, 3,065 asylum applications for unaccompanied minors were also submitted to the EU for the first time, the majority of which came from Afghanistan (985) and Syria (870).
The EU countries that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in May 2023 were Germany (1,200), the Netherlands (410) and Austria (405).
Source: DN
