Significantly fewer asylum applications in Germany
Approximately 116,000 asylum applications were filed in Germany during the first half of the year. While the number here was lower than the previous year, it remained largely unchanged at the EU level along with Norway and Switzerland.
According to a media report, the number of asylum applications in the European Union (EU) plus Norway and Switzerland is reportedly still at a high level. In the first six months of the current year, a total of 499,470 asylum applications were reportedly submitted in the EU and the two countries. The "Welt am Sonntag" reported this based on the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA). This represents a decrease of 2% compared to the previous year's period.
Germany, according to the report, experienced a 5% decrease in asylum applications in the first half of the year, with a total of 115,682 applications. Despite this decrease, Germany remains a leading country in the EU. The majority of asylum applications in Germany were submitted by Syrians (29%), Afghans (18%), and Turks (10%).
Syrian and Afghan refugees reportedly often file an asylum application in Germany. Among Syrian refugees, 50% reportedly filed an application in the Federal Republic, while among Afghan refugees, it was 48%.
- Switzerland, like Germany and Norway, witnessed a relatively stable number of asylum applications during the initial half of the year, according to the EU-wide trend.
- Despite Germany's decrease in asylum applications by 5%, the country's right of asylum policy continues to attract a significant number of asylum seekers, particularly from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
- The EU's asylum policy, including the procedures in third countries like Norway and Switzerland, is consistently shaping the refugee movement across Europe.
- The right of asylum and asylum seekers have been significant topics in the politics of various EU member states, with Germany and its neighbors taking different approaches yet sharing similar challenges.
- Asylum seekers seeking protection in Europe often consider Germany, Norway, and Switzerland, highlighting the need for cohesive EU asylum policy to ensure fair and efficient procedures for the individuals seeking refuge.
