More asylum applications were filed in 2021 compared to the corresponding time in 2020, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) has revealed.
According to a press release issued by the authority, the number of asylum seekers in the EU Member States increased by a third, accounting for 617,800 applications, SchengenVisaInfo.com reports.
Such figures resemble pre-pandemic levels, years 2017 to 2019, but with a special demand in repeated applications, which marked the highest rates since 2014.
Asylum applications surged in 2021 – asylum seekers lodged 34% more applications than in 2020
The EUAA data shows that the number of applications filed from third country arrivals for international protection reached 617,778 – nearly 34 per cent more than in 2020 when 461,272 applications were submitted. In addition, the number of first-time applications also surged, jumping from 410,327 to 527,408, about 29 per cent more than in 2020.
However, the number of repeated applications blew out in 2021, about 75 per cent more than in 2020, increasing from 50,945 to 89,114. In addition, the number of unknown applications has also surged, from none registered in 2020 to 1,256 in 2021.
Although the number of asylum-seeking applications remains lower than pre-pandemic levels, for example, in 2019, when 671,189 applications were lodged, the data foresees a trend on the rise. The EU Member States witnessed one of the most severe migration crises in 2015 when the number of applications for international protection peaked at 1,315,466.
Majority of refugees recorded in 2021 arrived from Middle Eastern & Asian regions
While Afghan nationals lodged the most applications for international protection in recent months, 97,800 of those Syrians remain the largest applicant group for 2021, counting 106,000 applications, almost two thirds more than in 2020.
Applicants from other countries to apply for asylum more than in 2020 include Iraqi nationals (28,700), Pakistani (24,600), Turks (23,700) and Bangladeshi (20,000). Arrivals from countries like Somalia, Nigeria, Morocco and the rest of Africa also marked an increase compared to 2020, accounting for 2.6, 2.5 and 2.4 per cent of all applications reported in 2021.
While Syrians and Afghans make up for 33 per cent of all applications lodged, 41 per cent of the remaining applications were submitted by other countries, with an enhanced increase noticed in Belarussian applicants, which tripled their applications and North Macedonians that recorded a four-fold increase.
In contrast, asylum applications submitted by Venezuelans, Colombians and other Latin Americans decreased compared to 2020.
“In 2021, far fewer Latin Americans lodged applications for asylum in the EU+, in sharp contrast with many more irregular migrants from Latin America being encountered in the United States. In EU+ countries, the main applicant groups from Latin America were Venezuelans (some 17,700) and Colombians (13,800), followed by Haitians, Peruvians, Hondurans, Salvadorians, Cubans and Nicaraguans,” EUAA’s report reveals.
Another anomaly noticed in 2021 is the number of unaccompanied minors, which almost reached 2016 levels – the year when the great migration crisis in the EU occurred. About 27,300 applications for international protections were submitted by unaccompanied minors – the highest rate in the last three years and only 2,000 applications short of 2016.
“Almost half of all unaccompanied minors were Afghans (13,000, and the most since 2015), followed by Syrians, Somalis, Bangladeshis and Pakistanis. About one in every 23 asylum applicants in the EU+ claimed to be an unaccompanied minor (four per cent of the total),” the report points out.
EU Member States issued 523,00 decisions in 2021, the highest rates since 2017
The number of total applications issued increased slightly from 2020 levels, about 2,000 more. However, the number of applications was higher than decisions issued by some 95,000 applications. Consequently, the number of cases pending at first instance surged in the last months to about 442,500, with half of these cases being on pending status for less than six months.
In addition, out of 523,023 total first instance decisions, 342,563 received a negative decision – accounting for 65.4 per cent of all decisions. Moreover, 117,489 were granted refugee status and 62,971 obtained subsidiary status.
In conclusion, the EU+ recognition rate for refugee status and subsidiary protection surged to 35 per cent in 2021. This was affected by Afghan nationals, whose recognition rate increased evidently – from 53 per cent in 2020 to 66 per cent in 2021, temporarily surpassing 90 per cent in the last October and November.
More specifically, 442,500 cases were pending at the first instance at the end of 2021, out of which 10,477 cases have been pending for an unknown duration, and 212,674 are pending for more than six months. However, most cases are pending for less than six months, about 218,935 – accounting for half of all cases pending.
The number of pending cases has increased significantly, especially cases pending for an unknown duration, from 2,276 in 2020 to 10,477 – accounting for an almost 22 per cent increase.
The positive rates for asylum applications were higher for Eritreans (81 per cent), Yemenis (79 per cent), Belarusians (75 per cent) and Syrians (72 per cent). Almost two-thirds of positive-decision recipients were granted refugee status in 2021, while the rest received subsidiary protection.
Previously, EEA revealed that the highest number of asylum applications in the last five years was recorded in November of 2021, with 71,400 applications being lodged in a single month.
As mentioned before, Syrians and Afghans were the two top nationalities to submit the most applications for international protection. More specifically, Afghanis lodged the second most applications since 2016 – 13,000 of those, followed by Syrians (11,500) and Iraqis (4,300).
SOURCE: Schengen Visa Info
