01/02/2018 (Agence Europe) – The number of asylum applications made in 2017 in the European Union experienced a significant fall, according to the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) on Thursday 1 February. In total 706,913 asylum requests were submitted, which constitutes a 43% reduction compared to levels in 2016. This is the second consecutive year in which these figures have fallen. According to EASO one out of three asylum seekers was Syrian, Iraqi, Afghan or Nigerian. In 2017, Syria was the country of origin with the most asylum seekers, with more than 98,000 requests for asylum submitted by this country. Iraqis, Afghans and Nigerians made 40,000 applications in 2017. Nationals from Pakistan, Eritrea, Albania, Bangladesh, Guinea and Iran account for the next most significant number of asylum seekers. (SP)