Brussels, 09/04/2009 (Agence Europe) - In 2008, the European Union experienced a rise in requests for asylum for the second year in a row. Although the number of asylum seekers in the Union was divided into two between 2001-06, the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees (HCR) observed a reversal in this trend in 2007, with an 11% increase on the previous year. This trend was borne out in 2008. The 27 member states registered 238,000 requests, 6% more than in 2007. The HCR observes, however, a contrast between the 15 older member states, which experienced a rise of 9% in demands (198,000 to 216,000) and the 12 “new” member states which experienced a fall of 15% (from 25,600 to 21,800). France became the country at the top of the list of European countries experiencing requests for asylum, with 35,200 requests (the third in the world after the US and Canada). It is ahead of Sweden where demand fell by 33%. On the other had, Italy experienced a sharp increase (+122% and 31,200 registered demands), the second in the league table of asylum seekers. The United Kingdom comes next with 30,500 requests (+8%). The most spectacular increase was in Finland, which registered a rise of 181% in asylum seekers. Malta also had a sharp rise (+89%). Slovenia (-44%) and Spain (-42%) experienced the sharpest falls. The main countries of origin for asylum seekers are Iraq, the Russian Federation, Somalia, Serbia and Pakistan. (B.C./trans/rh)