The number of asylum applications declined to 8,730 during April, an 86% drop from 61,421 in February, according to figures obtained by Reuters from the European Asylum Support Office (EASO). The EU had shut its external borders in March and many of its 27 member states suspended registration of applications.

The EASO figures also show a 44% drop in asylum applications from February to March, when states began imposing lockdowns.

“It is clear the access that potential asylum applicants had was severely restricted over the past few months, especially initially,” EASO executive director Nina Gregori told Reuters. “The situation for those in need of asylum has undoubtedly been very challenging. Already fleeing violence and persecution, the COVID-19 crisis has certainly compounded their situations.”

Most applications from 2020 through April were by Syrians followed by Afghans, Venezuelans, and Colombians, EASO data show.

It had already become more difficult for asylum seekers to reach Europe in recent years. The bloc has blocked off previous overland migrant routes and provided aid to Libya and Turkey to inhibit crossings by sea into the EU.

In April, Italy said it would not let migrant boats operated by charities dock as its ports could not be considered safe because of the coronavirus pandemic. Malta also said it could no longer guarantee the rescue of migrants or allow their disembarkation during the coronavirus emergency.

Those who made it to Europe during the COVID-19 pandemic but were unable to apply for asylum are now more at risk, said Petra Baeyens, senior legal officer at the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE), a network of more than 100 non-governmental organizations across 40 European countries.

“They have limited access to health care, and are considered to be irregularly on the territory as long as they have not made their asylum application,” Baeyens told Reuters.

“Their vulnerabilities are not being addressed and they are more prone to become victims of exploitation.”

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Asylum applications in the EU increased from 2018 to 2019 by 13%, according to figures released Wednesday by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO).

This marks the first year-on-year increase since 2015. More than 714,000 applications for asylum were lodged in the EU in 2019, compared to 2018, when fewer than 635,000 were registered.

Read more: EU-Turkey refugee deal: Will the fragile agreement hold?

“Today’s figures highlight that while we remain well below the situation of a few years ago, we need to continue to be vigilant and strengthen our asylum practices,” said EASO Executive Director Nina Gregori.

“A sustainable, fair and crisis-proof asylum system in the European Union is needed,” she added.

Twice as many Venezuelan applicants

The top three countries of origin for asylum seekers were Syria (72,000), Afghanistan (60,000) and Venezuela (45,000). The figure for Venezuela is more than twice that in 2018, reflecting the Latin American country’s recent economic and political turmoil.

However, only 5% of Venezuelans who applied were granted asylum, compared to over 80% of Syrians, Yemenis, and Eritreans.

Read more: Opinion: Europe is paying for African migrant deterrence

The increase in applications was mostly accounted for by the large number of applications made by residents of countries who were exempt to visas. For example, residents of several Latin American countries can enter the EU without visa requirements.

This explains why while the number of applications has risen, illegal entries — for example on boats across the Mediterranean — have fallen in recent years.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/eu-reports-significant-increase-in-asylum-applications/a-52538306

The post EU reports significant increase in asylum applications first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The post Numbers of asylum seekers surge in Spain as Venezuelans take refuge in Europe first appeared on Garner Ted Armstrong Evangelistic Association.

The number of asylum seekers coming to Britain has risen by nearly 10 percent after more than 37,000 people applied to stay in the UK last year.

The figure is eight percent higher than in 2017 when 34,780 applications were submitted to the Home Office.

Newly released data shows Britain is the sixth highest destination for migrants in Europe, with Germany at the top after recording 180,000 requests for asylum last year.

France, Greece, Italy, and Spain are also above the UK, according to the report by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), which revealed there were 664,480 applications across Europe in total last year.

The data shows Iranians made up the highest percentage of asylum seekers in the UK in 2018 at 11 percent.

This graph shows how the change in the number of asylum seekers arriving in Britain each year, with an eight per cent rise between 2017 and 2018 recorded

It comes as a record 163 migrants were picked up off the coast of the UK by Border Force officials in June.

And more than 700 migrants have been picked up on British waters since last November.

In December, Home Secretary Sajid Javid declared a major incident after 138 migrants were picked up.

He called in extra Border Force cutters in a bid to stem the surge, but 140 made it into the UK last month.

A Home Office spokeswoman said: ‘Anyone crossing the Channel in a small boat is taking a huge risk with their life and the lives of their children.

‘Since the Home Secretary declared a major incident in December, two cutters have returned to UK waters from overseas operations.

‘We have also agreed on a joint action plan with France and increased activity out of the Joint Coordination and Information Centre in Calais.

‘Earlier this month, the Home Secretary and the French Interior Minister, Christophe Castaner, agreed to continue to explore options to reinforce the efforts already being made.

Pictured is a woman who was among 38 migrants to reach Kent earlier this month. The 38 people were made up of men, women, and children, all claiming to be either Iranian or Iraqi

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‘It is an established principle that those in need of protection should claim asylum in the first safe country they reach and since January more than 35 people who arrived illegally in the UK in small boats have been returned to Europe.’

The EASO report showed there was a decrease in the total amount of applications across Europe for a third consecutive year.

And 39 percent of the applicants were successful on their first attempt, down seven percent in 2017.

Although fewer positive decisions were handed out, 55 percent of those gave the asylum seeker refugee status.

Syria (13 percent), Afghanistan and Iraq (seven percent each) were the three main countries of origin of applicants in the EU+ in 2018.

The top 10 citizenships of origin also included Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Turkey (four percent each) and Venezuela, Albania and Georgia (three percent each).

The top 10 citizenships of origin also included Pakistan, Nigeria, Iran, Turkey (four per cent each) and Venezuela, Albania and Georgia (three per cent each).

How the number of asylum seekers coming to Europe has changed year-on-year

Country

 2017

 2018

 % change

Germany

France

Greece

Italy

Spain

UK

Netherlands

Belgium

Sweden

Switzerland

 222,560

 99,330

 58,650

 128,850

 36,605

 34,780

 18,210

 18,340

 26,325

 18,015

 184,180

 120,425

 66,965

 59,950

 54,050

 37,730

 24,025

 22,530

 21,560

 15,160

 – 17%

 + 21%

 + 14%

 – 53%

 + 48%

 + 8%

 + 32%

 + 23%

 – 18%

 – 16%

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