First time asylum applications in the European Union increased by 4% in June 2022, compared to May and by 66% compared to June 2021, while in Cyprus the number of new applications fell slightly compared to May and increased compared to last year, according to data released by Eurostat, the statistical service of the EU.
In June 2022, 65,645 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in the EU Member States, up 66% compared with June 2021 (39,515) and 4% compared with May 2022 (63,105).
The increase from May to June 2022 can be mainly attributed to increases in first-time applicants from Tunisia (990 more people; 82% increase), Turkey (850 more people; 31% increase) and Pakistan (645; 22% increase).
In Cyprus, there was a total of 2,405 new asylum applications in June 2022 compared to 2,560 in May, and compared to 1,580 in June 2021.
In June 2022, there were also 6,190 subsequent applicants (people who reapplied for asylum after a decision had been taken on a previous application). This was up 2% compared with June 2021, and down by 1% compared with May 2022.
Due to temporary derogations, data on subsequent applicants are not available for Denmark, Cyprus and Sweden.
It is worth noting that the majority of new asylum applications in the EU in one month since 2014 were recorded in October 2015 (162,020 applications) and the least in April 2020 (7,990 applications).
Most first-time applicants in Cyprus and EU were from Syria
In June 2022, Syrians were the largest group of persons seeking asylum (8,600 first-time applicants). They were followed by Afghans (7,705), ahead of Venezuelans (4,705), Colombians (3,840) and Turks (3,625).
In March 2022, there was a large increase in Ukrainian first-time asylum applicants (from 2,370 in February to 12,885 in March) due to Russia’s military aggression against Ukraine.
However, the numbers decreased to 1,295 and 975 respectively in May and June 2022. This is also due to the fact that people fleeing Ukraine benefit from temporary protection.
Most new asylum seekers in Cyprus in June were Syrians (655 persons), followed by citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (335), Nigeria (270), Pakistan (230), Bangladesh (190) and Afghanistan (155).
About 20 new asylum applications from Ukraine were recorded in Cyprus in February 2022, but only 5 were recorded each month since.
With 12,315 first-time applicants registered in June 2022, Germany accounted for 19% of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU. Germany was followed by France (11,095; 17%), ahead of Spain (10,595; 16%), Austria (9,060; 14%) and Italy (5,690; 9%).
These five Member States together accounted for nearly three-quarters (74%) of all first-time asylum applicants in the EU.
Unaccompanied minor applications increase in the EU
In June 2022, 2,905 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU Member States, up by 63% compared with June 2021 (1,785) and up 10% compared with May 2022 (2,635).
This is among the EU Member States for which data are available. Due to temporary derogations, data on unaccompanied minor asylum applicants are not available for France, Cyprus and Poland.
Most unaccompanied minors who lodged asylum applications in June 2022 in the EU came from Afghanistan (1,295), Syria (525), Somalia (175) and Pakistan (140).
The three Member States that received the highest numbers of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors in June 2022 were Austria (1,145) with an increase of 49% compared with May 2022, Germany (380) with a decrease of 13% and Belgium (320) with an increase of 28%.
Source: Cyprus News Agency