Greece registered the highest rate of first-time asylum applicants in the European Union in July 2024, with 55.1 applicants per 100,000 people, according to Eurostat's latest report.
This figure puts Greece ahead of Ireland, which recorded a rate of 32.2 applicants per 100,000 people.
Across the EU, 74,695 first-time asylum applications were submitted by non-EU citizens in July 2024, representing a 7.5% decrease compared to the same period in 2023 (80,735). Additionally, 7,145 individuals submitted subsequent applications, marking a significant 26.2% increase from July 2023 (5,660).
Syrians were the largest group seeking asylum, with 12,295 first-time applicants, followed by Afghans (6,030) and Venezuelans (5,170). The majority of first-time applications were processed in Germany (18,505), Italy (13,235), Spain (11,925), and France (11,300), which collectively accounted for 74% of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU.
The report also highlighted the significant number of unaccompanied minors applying for asylum, totaling 2,985 across the EU. Most of these minors were from Syria (895), Afghanistan (470), and Egypt (345). Germany received the highest number of applications from unaccompanied minors (750), followed by Bulgaria (455), Greece (420), the Netherlands (355), and Spain (325).
Read more: Eurostat reports
(Source: Eurostat)