Nearly 115,000 asylum applications in EU in October. Applicants from Palestinian territories double compared to 2022

Brussels – In a world torn apart by deepening wounds and new tensions, more people are fleeing their countries and seeking refuge in Europe. Almost 15,000 people sought asylum for international protection in EU countries in October 2023, up 17 percent from the same period of the previous year. According to monthly data published today (January 22) by Eurostat, there were 114,830 first-time asylum seekers, down from 97,980 in October 2022. There were also 6,225 subsequent applicants, a 2 percent decrease from a year ago.

On the other hand, the most registered nationality is steady: as in previous months, in October 2023, Syrians continued to comprise the largest group of asylum seekers – 24,330 first-time applicants. Turks (15,630) follow, then Afghans (9,900), Venezuelans (5,070), and Colombians (4,835).

Compared to October 2022, asylum applications from the Palestinian territories increased by over 100 percent, from 640 to 1345. In early January, the EU Court of Justice issued an opinion according to which stateless Palestinians who claim refugee status in EU countries – who until now were almost always denied international protection because they were already under the protection of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA)- can now state that UNRWA protection has “ceased”, in light of living conditions in the Gaza Strip.

Compared to previous months, in October 2023, Germany (34,000), Italy (14,950), France (14,900), and Spain (12,505) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum seekers, accounting for 66 percent of the total in EU countries. Compared to the population of each EU country, the highest rate of registered first-time applicants was in Cyprus (1,188 per million people), Austria (1,050), and Greece (959). In contrast, the lowest rate was in Hungary (0.3).