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Frontex Reports 26% Drop in Irregular EU Border Crossings in 2025

EU officials attribute the decline to tougher borders alongside international partnerships.

Overview

  • Detections fell to about 178,000, the lowest since 2021 and less than half the 2023 total.
  • The steepest declines were on the West Africa route (-63%), the Western Balkans (-42%), and the BelarusPoland/Baltic land border (-37%).
  • Western Mediterranean crossings rose 14% to 19,403, while the central Mediterranean dipped 1% and the eastern Mediterranean fell 27%.
  • Attempts to cross the English Channel toward Britain decreased 3% to 65,861.
  • Frontex warned that flows can quickly reroute due to conflict, instability and smuggling networks; Commissioner Magnus Brunner said fewer detections mean fewer people exposed to trafficking and abuse.