Europe’s pull is waning: 17% fewer asylum applications in the EU during the first half of 2026

During the first six months of 2026, approximately 332,000 applications for international protection were submitted in the European Union member states together with four associated Schengen countries. This figure represents a 17% decrease compared with the same period of the previous year.

This was the lowest level of asylum applications for the first half of a year since 2021. Excluding the pandemic years, it was the lowest number since 2019.

These figures were published in the latest report by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), titled “Latest Asylum Trends: Mid-Year Review 2026”.

Among the reasons identified by the European agency for this decline is the change in applicants’ countries of origin, particularly following political developments in Syria. Another factor is the effort by member states to strengthen ties with the countries from which migrants originate and through which they pass.

France emerged as the most sought-after destination for asylum seekers during this period, receiving around 69,000 applications, or approximately one-fifth of the total.

Italy ranked second in terms of the number of applications, with nearly 66,000. It was followed by Spain and Germany, which each received around 55,000 applications.

Together, these four countries accounted for around 75% of the asylum applications submitted in the EU+ area, a share slightly lower than in previous periods, when they handled approximately four-fifths of all applications.

When measured against population size, Italy recorded 1,127 asylum applications per million inhabitants, while the average in the EU+ area stood at 710 applications per million inhabitants.

For this indicator, Italy was close to Spain, France, Belgium and Ireland. The highest figure was recorded in Greece, with 2,254 applications per million inhabitants.

In Italy, the largest group of applicants continued to be Bangladeshi nationals, with almost 28,000 applications, a figure nearly identical to the previous period, as the decline was only 3%.

By contrast, applications from Egyptian nationals rose by 50%, reaching around 15,000. Applications from Afghans (+77%), Chinese nationals (+43%) and Sri Lankan nationals (+23%) also recorded significant increases. In the opposite direction, applications from Morocco fell by 22%, while those from Peru declined by 12%.

Thus, the EUAA data reflect a significant shift in the dynamics of asylum in Europe during 2026: the overall number of applications has declined, but applicants’ countries of origin and their distribution among receiving countries have undergone noticeable changes.