Brussels, 15/05/2014 (Agence Europe) - The number of people trying to enter the EU illegally rose by 48% in 2013 compared to the previous year, according to the agency Frontex in its latest report, published on Wednesday 15 May.
Last year, 107,000 people were detected by the authorities, compared to 72,500 in 2012. Syrians, Eritreans and Afghans were the most commonly detected nationalities. In its report, Frontex notes three striking facts for 2013: the significant increase in the number of Syrian refugees reaching the EU, the constant flow of migrants leaving North Africa and heading for Italy and a steep increase in detections of irregular migrants on the Western Balkan route.
The number of Syrians detected at the EU borders accounted for almost a quarter of all arrivals in 2013, Frontex explains. At 25,500, there were almost 3 times more than in 2012. More than two thirds of asylum applications by Syrians were submitted in Sweden, Germany and Bulgaria.
Frontex notes that flows in the Mediterranean to Italy and, to an extent, Malta, were heaviest between July and October, reaching a peak in September. With over 40,000 arrivals, this route accounted for 38% of all arrivals of irregular migrants in the EU, according to the border surveillance agency. Although high, this number is still lower than the figures recorded in 2011 in the wake of the Arab Spring, when 59,000 people arrived in Italy.
The Central Mediterranean was the main entry point to Europe for irregular migrants, particularly during the second half of the year. However, arrivals continued in Italy throughout October and November, despite rough sea conditions, which usually prevent sea crossings at that time of year. With over 40,000 arrivals recorded, the Central Mediterranean route accounted for 38% of all detections of irregular migration at EU level.
While Syrians and Egyptians departed for Italy primarily from Egypt in 2013, migrants from the Horn of Africa and West Africa departed mostly from Libya. Among African migrants, Eritreans were by far the most numerously detected, with over 11,000 arrivals, representing a four-fold increase on 2012. To reach Italy, migrants from the Horn of Africa typically used a perilous route across the Sahara.
On the Western Mediterranean route, detections at the Greek borders with Turkey were at their lowest level for five years, though this route still accounted for almost a quarter of all detections in the EU. The highest numbers of migrants in this region were either detected crossing the Aegean Sea to the Greek islands from Turkey, or along the Bulgarian-Turkish land border. Again, Syrians constituted the majority of migrants on this route.
At 19,000, the number of detections on the border between Hungary and Serbia was almost three times higher than in 2012, making the Western Balkans route the number-three hot spot for illegal border crossings in Europe, Frontex adds. (SP)