Some 996,000 asylum applications were lodged in 2022 in European countries, the highest number since 2016, according to a report by the European Union Asylum Service (AUEA).

Asylum seekers, whose number has been revised upwards from provisional figures published in February (966,000), are joined by 4 million Ukrainians who fled their country after the Russian invasion and enjoy a special temporary protection status within the European Union , the AUEA clarifies, highlighting the pressure placed on national reception systems.

The figures refer to the 27 countries of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein.

Asylum seekers are 71% male, mainly from Syria (138,000 applications), Afghanistan (132,000), Turkey (58,000), Venezuela (51,000) and Colombia (43,000).

Part of the applications have been submitted by people who arrived legally in the European Union: it is the case of Colombians and Venezuelans who have access to the Union without a visa.

During 2015-2016, during the migration crisis in Europe caused by the Syrian war, the number of asylum seekers reached 1.3 million (2015) and 1.2 million (2016).

In 2022, five countries account for 70% of asylum applications: Germany (244,000), France (156,000), Spain (118,000), Austria (109,000), Italy (84,000).

34% have received a positive response, which means the highest “recognition rate” since 2017. The nationalities with the highest positive response rates are Syrians (93%), Ukrainians (86%) and Eritreans (84%). ).

The number of pending cases stands at 899,000.

About 42,000 applications have been submitted by unaccompanied minors, two-thirds of whom come from Afghanistan and Syria.