Brussels – In the first half of 2025, irregular border crossings to the EU decreased by 20 percent to 75,900 thanks to significant declines in the Eastern Mediterranean and West African routes, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex.
Although overall numbers are down, the pressure remains high in the central Mediterranean, and new migration corridors continue to emerge.
Main points:
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- Sharp declines in arrivals were recorded on the Western Balkan (-53 percent), Eastern land borders (-50 percent), and West African (-41 percent) routes.
- The central Mediterranean remains the EU’s busiest migratory route, accounting for 39 percent of all irregular arrivals.
- The most frequently reported nationalities are Bangladesh, Egypt, and Afghanistan.
Crossings via the Eastern Mediterranean migration route decreased by almost a quarter to 19,600. Nevertheless, the route has seen a significant development in recent months with the emergence of the Libya-Crete corridor. This corridor now accounts for the largest number of crossings in the eastern Mediterranean.
Despite the general decline across the EU, the central Mediterranean route saw more than 29,300 irregular crossings, 12 percent more than in the same period in 2024.
Libya continues to be the main departure country for these dangerous journeys, with around 20,800 migrants arriving in Italy, an increase of 80 percent compared to last year.
Another route that saw an increase is the Western Mediterranean, where arrivals increased by 19 percent compared to the first half of 2024. In June alone, the number of arrivals on this route doubled compared to the same month last year.
Algeria remains the main departure country on this route, with an increase of around 80 percent compared to 2024, indicating that smuggling networks are adapting their activities and increasingly using alternative routes from North Africa.
In contrast, the West African route saw a significant drop. Arrivals dropped by more than 40 percent, with 11,300 detections in the first six months of this year and only 300 crossings reported in June.
This downward trend is largely due to increased prevention efforts by countries of departure, working closely with EU Member States, to tackle irregular migration at source.
Behind these numbers lie tragic human stories, as many migrants undertake perilous sea journeys in overcrowded, unseaworthy vessels, risking their lives to cross the sea. According to the International Organization for Migration, an estimated 760 people lost their lives in the Mediterranean in the first six months of this year alone.
Channel route: Pressure continues to grow
Meanwhile, on the English Channel route, attempts by migrants to reach the UK increased by 23 percent to 33,200 attempts between January and June. The rise has been driven by a variety of factors, including a significantly higher number of days with good weather conditions this year, the rising use of “taxi boats” that evade detection and more people crammed on individual boats. Despite enforcement efforts, the route is still seen as viable by smuggling groups that remain active and adapt quickly, without much care about the safety of the migrants.
English version by the Translation Service of Withub
