irregular entries into the European Union decreased significantly in 2024

The number of irregular entries into the European Union (EU) recorded in 2024 fell to its lowest level since 2021, according to the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), with some routes used by migrants subject to increased police surveillance. In 2024, Frontex recorded more than 239,000 irregular entries into the EU.

“New preliminary data from Frontex reveals a significant 38% drop in irregular EU border crossings in 2024, reaching the lowest level since 2021, when migration was still affected by the Covid-19 pandemic”she declared in a press release.

The agency specifies that this decrease is mainly due to a drop in arrivals via the central Mediterranean and Western Balkans routes: “Despite persistent migratory pressure, the intensification of cooperation from the EU and its partners [pour lutter] against smuggling networks has made it possible to considerably reduce crossings of Europe's external borders. The largest drop was recorded along the Western Balkans route, with a 78% decrease which Frontex attributes to “considerable efforts made by countries in the region to stem the flow [des entrées irrégulières] ».

“Decrease in departures from Tunisia and Libya”

The number of irregular entries detected via the central Mediterranean fell by 59% due to a “decrease in departures from Tunisia and Libya”according to Frontex. Despite this drop, this route still represents around 67,000 crossings, the second most important of all routes after that of the Eastern Mediterranean, adds the European agency.

Other routes used by asylum seekers have seen a sharp increase in their traffic. Spain has thus found itself at the forefront of EU migratory flows, with the strengthening of controls in the Mediterranean pushing more and more asylum seekers to attempt the perilous journey from West Africa to the Canaries.

The Canary Islands recorded an 18% increase in arrivals, or almost 47,000, the highest figure since Frontex began collecting data in 2009. This increase was “fueled by departures from Mauritania”underlines Frontex, adding that “flows from other departure points have decreased”.

Tripling at the EU's eastern borders

For the executive director of Frontex, Hans Leijtens, the year 2024 has also “highlighted emerging risks and changing dynamics”smuggling networks tending to adapt to new geopolitical circumstances, and migratory flows moving more and more quickly. Frontex also warns against “increasing violence” smugglers along the Western Balkans route.

The agency also reports that the number of migrants has “triple” at the eastern land borders of the EU, in particular that between Poland and Belarus. EU member states along the bloc's eastern border accuse Moscow and its ally, the Minsk regime, of smuggling thousands of migrants across their borders in recent years as part of a campaign to destabilize Europe.

In December, the European Commission announced that its member states could limit the rights of asylum seekers, “instrumentalized” by Russia and Belarus, thus providing support to Warsaw. These measures must be “exceptional, temporary, proportionate” and in clearly defined cases, however, underlined the European Commissioner, Henna Virkkunen, Vice-President of the Commission responsible, in particular, for security.

Last month, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk declared that the right to asylum « [était] used today, especially on the border with Belarus, by the enemies of Poland ». Since 2021, Poland has indeed recorded an influx of thousands of migrants and refugees, mainly from the Middle East and Africa, who are trying to enter the country via Belarus.