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Ukrainians lodged considerably more asylum applications in the EU+ in February 2021, compared to January, making them one of the top ten nationalities of applicants. This is in stark contrast with several other main nationalities, who are still lodging far fewer asylum applications in the EU+ compared to pre-COVID-19 levels.
Analysis released by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) on asylum trends in February 2021 shows that about 38 300 applications for international protection were lodged in the EU+ in February 2021.1 While the overall level was roughly stable compared to recent months, Ukrainians lodged many more applications (up by 72%, to almost 1 000), the most in four years and substantially more than before the outbreak of COVID-19. This sudden increase placed Ukraine among the top 10 origin countries for the first time since 2016.
Irregular migration towards the Canary Islands has increased in recent months. Correspondingly, Moroccans (+ 14%), Malians and Senegalese (+ 22% in both cases) are increasingly applying for international protection in the EU+.
The top origin countries in February were Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq and Nigeria. The number of applications by Syrians stabilised above 10 000, more than the next six origin countries combined. Syrians alone accounted for a quarter of all asylum applications lodged in the EU+. As in January, half of the applications by Syrians were repeated applications in the same country.
For half of the top 10 origin countries of applicants, applications have thus far not come close to the level in February 2020, the last month before the outbreak of COVID-19 in Europe. In February 2021, total applications in the EU+ were less than two thirds of the applications lodged one year earlier. As there is also no evidence of an upward trend towards pre-COVID-19 levels, the effect of the pandemic on asylum applications is evidently not short-lived.
In contrast, applications by self-claimed unaccompanied minors were comparable to pre-COVID-19 levels. In February 2021, unaccompanied minors lodged more than 1 300 applications in the EU+, corresponding to 80% of the number in February 2020. Already in late 2020, applications by unaccompanied minors had exceeded pre-pandemic levels.
EU+ asylum authorities issued almost 41 000 first instance decisions in February 2021, slightly more than in January (+ 7%) and above the level of applications. Some 405 600 cases were pending at first instance, roughly stable from January. The recognition rate2 in the EU+ was 32% in February 2021, matching the EU+ recognition rate for 2020. In line with previous months, three out of five positive decisions in February granted refugee status, while the remainder granted subsidiary protection.
For more information and an interactive data visualisation, please visit the Latest Asylum Trends page.
Notes
[1] Data on two EU+ countries were missing for February 2021.
[2] This means that applications have not reached at least 90 % of the level in February 2020 at some point since.
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On 22 March 2021 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2021/4831 concerning restrictive measures against Myanmar/Burma.
The Council added 11 persons to the list of natural and legal persons, entities and bodies subject to restrictive measures in the Annex to Decision 2013/184/CFSP.
The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania2, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this Council Decision.
They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.
1 Published on 22.03.2021 in the Official Journal of the European Union no. L 99, p.40.
2 The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.
On 22 March 2021 the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2021/4821 concerning restrictive measures against Myanmar/Burma.
The Council amended the designation criteria and the title of Decision 2013/184/CFSP.
The Candidate Countries the Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania2, the country of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the EFTA countries Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, members of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this Council Decision.
They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision.
The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it.
1Published on 22.03.2021 in the Official Journal of the European Union no. L 99, p.37.
2The Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia and Albania continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.