Brussels, 07/07/2014 (Agence Europe) - Syrians, Russians and nationals of six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, Kosovo, Montenegro and Serbia) were the biggest groups of asylum seekers in 2013 in the EU, according to the report published on Monday 7 July by the Malta-based European Asylum Seekers Office (EASO).
In total, 435,760 people submitted requests for international protection in 2013, almost 30% more than in 2012, according to the report presented in Brussels on Monday. EASO said that the figures for 2013 were the highest since 2008. The countries receiving the most demands were Germany, France, Sweden, the United Kingdom and Italy. These figures prompted a reaction from EASO Director Robert K. Visser, for whom it would be mistaken to say that it is only the northern European countries that receive the most demands for asylum because Italy has been in the top five for past two years. He added that Poland has also become a country where many demands for asylum are received.
The overall recognition rate at first instance at EU28 level (including humanitarian protection) was 34.4%, with refugee status being granted to 49,710 persons, subsidiary protection to 45,535 persons and humanitarian protection to 17,665 persons. The highest recognition rates were noted for Syrians, Eritreans and stateless persons, says the report. At the end of 2013, more than 352,000 persons were awaiting a decision on their asylum application in the EU28; the volume of pending applications therefore increased by 33% compared to the previous year.
Possible safeguard clause
EASO observed that there was a 109% increase in the number of applications for international protection from Syrians, 71% from Russians from the North Caucasus, who mainly submitted their requests in Germany and Poland. For Western Balkan countries, 2013 also saw a significant rise in the number of asylum requests (+up 36% compared to 2012). European Commissioner for Home Affairs Cecilia Malmström said that these applications could possibly be bogus because almost 90% of them proved groundless and only a handful were accepted. These bogus requests subsequently create further pressure on the asylum seeking systems in host countries, explained the Swedish commissioner, to the disadvantage of Syrian and Eritrean refugees. She said that she was in contact with the authorities in these countries and did not rule out the possibility of discussing (particularly with member states) the activation of the safeguard clause. This safeguard clause was validated in 2013 and allows member states to request a suspension in visa waiver systems if the nationals who benefit from them are those making bogus requests. (SP)