Brussels – The EU’s hard line on irregular migration is bearing fruit. This is confirmed by annual data released today (15 January) by Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency: in 2025, irregular crossings of EU borders decreased by 26 per cent compared to the previous year, stopping at 178,000. There’s also a half‑empty glass: from the Central Mediterranean, a route that accounts for more than a third of all migrant arrivals, the numbers have remained almost unchanged.
The overall decline remains significant: crossings at the EU’s external borders have fallen by more than a quarter in a year and by more than half compared with 2023. “The trend is moving in the right direction, but risks do not disappear,” said Hans Leijtens, executive director of Frontex. “This drop shows that cooperation can deliver results. It is not an invitation to relax. Our responsibility is to stay alert, support Member States on the ground, and ensure Europe is ready for new challenges at its borders,” Leijtens added.
The central Mediterranean route, which heads towards the Italian coast, remained the most active, with 66,328 arrivals. This is only 1 per cent less than in 2024, despite EU agreements with third countries to block the transit and departure of migrants. “Departures from Libya remained a key factor shaping movements towards Italy,” the Frontex annual report points out.
The Libyan coast is also the main departure point for those along the eastern Mediterranean route to the island of Crete and Greece. These crossings have more than tripled, while overall crossings along this route have decreased by 27 per cent. Meanwhile, the western Mediterranean has seen a 14 per cent increase in detections, mainly linked to higher departures from Algeria. The West African route, on the other hand, has seen the most marked decline, with a decrease in detections of about two-thirds, reflecting the sharp reduction in departures from Mauritania, Morocco, and Senegal.
There was also a significant drop in detections along the Western Balkan route, “thanks to strengthened security measures and close cooperation with Frontex, which is present in the region.” Finally, attempts to leave the EU for the United Kingdom via the Channel remained broadly in line with 2024 levels, at over 65,000.
Across all routes, the three nationalities most frequently identified in 2025 were Bangladeshi, Egyptian, and Afghan. Libya remained the main country of departure for almost all major nationalities that recorded increases, underlining its continued central role in movements towards Europe across the Central Mediterranean. According to estimates by the International Organisation for Migration, at least 1,878 people lost their lives in the Mediterranean in 2025, compared to 2,573 the previous year.
2026 “will be a crucial year for European border management,” Frontex emphasises. The EU Pact on Migration and Asylum will become fully applicable in June, together with “important changes” such as the full implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) and the planned launch of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) later in the year. Then there are the new rules on returns and safe countries, which could deter those who risk everything to reach Europe. “If there is no major geopolitical escalation in the EU’s immediate neighbourhood, irregular migration towards Europe across land and sea borders could continue the downward trend seen since 2023,” the report concludes.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
