The variety of registered irregular border crossings on the EU’s exterior borders fell by greater than 1 / 4 in 2025 in comparison with the earlier yr. This emerges from figures introduced by the EU border safety company Frontex, based mostly in Warsaw. The figures present that there have been a complete of round 178,000 makes an attempt EU to enter. According to the data, that is lower than half as many as in 2023 and the bottom degree since 2021.
“The trend is going in the right direction, but the risks are not going away,” mentioned Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens. The state of affairs on the EU’s exterior borders stays unsure. Migration stress can change shortly – influenced by conflicts, political instability and smuggling networks. Nevertheless, the border safety authority describes the decline as a “remarkable development” in its report.
EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner additionally assesses the numbers positively. He described the numerous decline as a “result of stronger external borders and effective international partnerships.” This is an indication that the EU’s migration diplomacy is working. At the identical time, the numbers meant that fewer individuals can be trafficked, fewer individuals would undergo abuse and fewer lives can be put in danger.
Crossings by way of the Eastern Mediterranean route fell by 27 %
According to Frontex, essentially the most used migration path to the EU stays the central Mediterranean route, which accounted for nearly a 3rd of all irregular border crossings in 2025. The route from Libya to Italy was typically chosen on this route. Compared to the identical interval final yr, there was hardly any change: 66,328 makes an attempt in 2025 – one % lower than the earlier yr.
On the japanese Mediterranean route the numbers fell total by 27 % to 51,399. In distinction, Frontex recorded a pointy enhance in a single part particularly: According to the data, crossings from japanese Libya to the Greek island of Crete have greater than tripled. This exhibits how shortly migration stress and most well-liked routes can change, in accordance with the border safety company’s report.
Cooperation with the states on the Western Balkan route results in decline
According to Frontex, the biggest declines occurred on the West Africa route. The numbers there fell by 63 % to 17,280 border crossings, primarily as a consequence of considerably fewer departures from Mauritania, Morocco and Senegal. Crossings additionally fell considerably on the Western Balkan route – by 42 %. Frontex attributes this to elevated safety measures and shut cooperation with the states within the area.
On the western Mediterranean route, nonetheless, the numbers rose by 14 % to 19,403 arrivals, which, in accordance with Frontex, was primarily as a consequence of increased departures from Algeria. However, there was a slight decline in irregular departures to Great Britain. The variety of makes an attempt to cross the English Channel fell by three % in comparison with the earlier yr.
Most of the individuals Frontex registered crossing the border irregularly have Bangladeshi, Egyptian or Afghan nationality.
https://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2026-01/migration-grenzuebertritte-europaeische-union