dw.com
EU Asylum Applications Drop 23% in First Half of 2025
The number of asylum applications in the EU, Norway, and Switzerland significantly decreased by 23% to almost 400,000 in the first half of 2025, with a shift in top applicant countries and a historically low approval rate.
- How did the decrease in asylum applications impact the top applicant countries, and what were the leading nationalities among applicants?
- While France saw a stable number of applicants, Germany experienced the largest drop (43%), followed by Italy (25%) and Spain (13%). Venezuelans (49,000) surpassed Syrians (25,000) as the largest group of applicants for the first time in a decade, largely due to the decline of the Assad regime. There was also a notable increase in Ukrainian applications (16,000, up 29%).
- What is the overall impact of the significant decrease in asylum applications across the EU, Norway, and Switzerland during the first half of 2025?
- The decrease of 23% (114,000 fewer applications) to nearly 400,000 applications signifies a substantial reduction in asylum pressure on these nations. This shift impacts resource allocation for processing and integration. France, Spain, Germany, and Italy received the most applications.
- What are the long-term implications of the decrease in asylum applications and the historically low approval rate of 25%, particularly considering the rise in legal challenges in Germany?
- The low approval rate (25%) suggests stricter asylum criteria. Germany's increased legal challenges (76,646 cases by June 2025, exceeding the total from 2023) stemming from rejected applications may significantly increase processing times (up to 19 months in some German states) and strain legal resources. This could create further delays and challenges in the asylum system.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The article presents a relatively neutral overview of asylum applications in the EU, Norway, and Switzerland. It highlights both the decrease in overall applications and the shift in applicant origins, along with the increase in appeals in Germany. There's no overtly biased framing, though the focus on Germany's change in ranking and the detail on appeal numbers might subtly suggest a concern about the asylum system's efficiency.
Bias by Omission
The article omits discussion of the reasons behind the decrease in asylum applications, beyond mentioning the fall of the Assad regime as a factor in the decrease of Syrian applicants. It also doesn't delve into the specific policies or factors that might explain the increase in appeals in Germany. While this may be due to space limitations, it limits in-depth analysis of the underlying reasons.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article discusses the decrease in asylum applications in the EU, which indirectly contributes to better management of migration flows and potentially strengthens the rule of law related to asylum processes. However, the increase in appeals against asylum decisions in Germany highlights challenges in ensuring timely and efficient justice systems. The overall impact is considered positive due to improved processing times, but further improvements are needed for efficient case resolution.