EU: Irregular entries at lowest level since 2021

The number of irregular entries into the European Union registered in 2024 fell to its lowest level since 2021, the European border surveillance agency Frontex said on Tuesday.

“New preliminary data from Frontex shows a significant 38% decline in irregular EU border crossings in 2024, reaching the lowest level since 2021, when migration was still impacted by the Covid pandemic.”Frontex said in a statement.

This decline is mainly due to a decline in arrivals via the central Mediterranean and the Western Balkan routes, explains Frontex. “Despite the ongoing migratory pressure, increased cooperation by the EU and its partners against smuggling networks has significantly reduced crossings at Europe’s external borders,” Frontex said. In 2024, the agency recorded more than 239,000 irregular entries into the EU.