WARSAW, Poland (AP) — According to the European Union’s border control agency Frontex, there has been a significant decrease in irregular border crossings into the EU in 2024. Frontex attributed this decline to enhanced cooperation in combating smuggling networks.
Frontex, headquartered in Warsaw, released a statement stating that its preliminary data for the previous year show a 38% reduction in irregular border crossings into the 27-member bloc. It is important to note that these figures pertain to the number of detections of irregular border crossings at the EU’s external borders, not the total number of individuals attempting to cross. Frontex highlighted that the same individual may cross the border multiple times at different locations along the external border, leading to multiple detections.
The agency reported just over 239,000 detections of irregular border crossings, marking the lowest number recorded since 2021 when migration was impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the overall decrease, challenges remain, including perilous sea journeys resulting in significant fatalities and the evolving strategies employed by smuggling networks.
While irregular arrivals have decreased, there is a prevailing sentiment across Europe that unregulated immigration to the continent is excessive. This issue has been a focal point of political discourse in Europe since 2015, when over a million people arrived, many fleeing the conflict in Syria. This situation has bolstered far-right parties that vehemently oppose the acceptance of large numbers of refugees and migrants, particularly in countries like Austria and Germany.
The reduction in total numbers was primarily driven by a 59% decline in arrivals via the Central Mediterranean route, attributed to decreased departures from Tunisia and Libya, Frontex reported. Additionally, there was a 78% decrease in detections along the Western Balkan route following interventions aimed at curtailing arrivals. However, irregular arrivals along the EU’s eastern borders with Belarus increased last year.
Frontex also documented an 18% rise in arrivals to the Canary Islands, a Spanish archipelago located near the African coast that is increasingly serving as an alternative entry point to continental Europe. The agency recorded nearly 47,000 arrivals in the Canary Islands in 2024, the highest number since data collection began in 2009.
“Although 2024 witnessed a notable reduction in irregular border crossings, it also underscored emerging risks and shifting dynamics,” stated Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens. Frontex’s statement highlighted reports of escalating violence by smugglers along the Western Balkan route, while persistent instability in regions such as the Sahel continues to drive migration flows towards Europe.
