Irregular Migration to EU: Frontex Report Reveals Main Routes and Countries of Origin

According to data by Frontex, the EU Border and Guard Agency, the majority of migrants irregularly crossing the border to the EU are recorded in the Central Mediterranean route, which includes countries like Italy and Malta, while on the other end, it consists of countries like Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.

In addition to the Central Mediterranean route, the Western Balkan is also a common route that migrants use to penetrate the EU, while other routes experience fluctuations of migrant arrivals based on the season or due to political factors, such as the case with the Eastern Land Border that was flooded by migrants that were entering through Belarus.

Central Mediterranean Route – Main Vessel for the Majority of Arrivals

A total of 27,651 irregular border crossings were recorded at this route between January and March 2023 – the highest record market among all six migratory routes.

The main countries of origin for arrivals on this route are Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, while 4,042 are unknown. Arrivals from these countries total 16,088, representing 58.1 per cent of all arrivals recorded during the first quarter of the year.

While in 2019, this route had some of the lowest irregular migratory activity, in the following year, it became the most affected route. More specifically, the number of arrivals coming to the EU throughout this route in 2019 was 14,874, and nationals of Tunisia, Sudan, and Cote d’Ivoire were the main arrivals.

In the following year (2020), the number of irregular migrants on this route jumped by 145 per cent, reaching 36,435 and making this the most-used path to Europe. Tunisians were the top detected nationality in 2022, representing over one-third of all detections on this route, followed by migrants from Bangladesh and Cote d’Ivoire.

In Contrast to 2022, Western Balkan Route Is the Second-Largest Migratory Path

The Western Balkan Route, which includes Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Serbia, and North Macedonia, is no longer the most used migratory route, in contrast to 2022 when a record number of 145,600 arrivals were recorded.

In the first three months of 2023, 14,858 illegal border crossings were recorded, and the main nationalities that are reaching Europe throughout this route are Syrians, Afghanis, and Turks, similar to the previous year, while the number of nationals from Tunisia, India, and Burundi that was noticed in 2022 has decreased.

Situation at Western Mediterranean, West African & Eastern Mediterranean Routes Remains Calm

These migratory routes continue receiving arrivals, but the activity is considerably lower than in other routes. The Western African route has recorded 2,219 arrivals in the first three months of the year, and the main countries of origin are Morocco (699), Cote d’Ivoire (388), Senegal (372), Guinea (323) and Gambia (158).

The number of irregular migrants reaching the EU throughout the Western Mediterranean route is lower than the other ones – 1,992 while the main countries of origin for arrivals are Morocco (844), Algeria (646), Syria (77), Guinea (76) and Senegal (68).

Furthermore, Syrians (1,013), Palestinians (768), Afghanis (758), Nigerians (461), and Congolese (450) reached the EU the most via the Eastern Mediterranean, totalling 6,011 irregular border crossings recorded in the first three months of the year.

Irregular Migration Rates Drop at Eastern Land Borders Following Stringent Measures Applied by Member States

The number of irregular border crossings in the Eastern Land borders has dropped to 1,121 in 2023, while in 2021, a record of 8,184 arrivals was recorded, marking the highest recorded so far. The majority of arrivals in 2023 came from Ukraine (880), Syria (39), Iran (37), and Iraq (33).

This route was quite affected by irregular border crossings in the previous year, but considering that countries like Lithuania have built a long fence to keep migrants away, in addition to introducing other legislative measures.