Overview
- The European Union Agency for Asylum reported about 332,000 new asylum applications in the first half of 2026, the lowest level since 2019 when pandemic years are excluded.
- France, Italy and Spain each received more applications than Germany in H1 2026, with Germany recording roughly 54,000 new claims and falling to fourth place.
- Afghan nationals were the largest single group with about 39,000 applications across the reporting area and a high EU‑wide recognition rate near 73 percent with Germany granting protection in about 79 percent of decided Afghan cases.
- Europe faces a large caseload of unresolved cases with roughly 770,000 applicants awaiting first‑instance decisions at the end of June 2026 and an estimated 1.18 million cases open when appeals and reviews are included.
- Germany’s pool of people receiving asylum‑applicant benefits fell to about 390,000 by the end of 2025 with Syrians the largest nationality and minors making up about 31 percent of recipients, and officials are using these trends to justify tougher border enforcement, expanded Frontex roles and faster return cooperation with third countries.