Europe Number of irregular border crossings into the EU drops sharply
The number of registered irregular border crossings into the European Union fell by 52 percent in the first two months of this year compared to the same period last year. This is according to preliminary figures from the EU border control authority Frontex, based in Warsaw. The authority has registered just under 12,000 attempts so far. It cites the harsh weather conditions on the main escape routes across the sea due to the time of year as the reason for the decline.
12.03.2026, 16:57
SDA
The sharpest decline in these attempts to enter the EU was recorded on the West African route across the Atlantic to the Canary Islands (-83 percent). On the Central Mediterranean route from North Africa to Italy and on the Eastern Mediterranean route via Greece, the number of irregular border crossings fell by half in each case.
The most frequently used migration route into the EU therefore remains the central Mediterranean, where almost 3,400 border crossings were reported, which corresponds to 30% of the total number. There was a slight increase (9 percent) compared to the same period last year on the route via the western Mediterranean to Spain.
Frontex anticipates effects of the Iran war
In its report, the EU border protection agency also referred to the possible effects of the Iran war. "The escalation of the situation in the Middle East harbors the risk of an increase in refugee movements in the region in the coming months," it said. So far, this has not had any noticeable impact on the migration situation at the EU's external borders. Frontex is continuing to monitor developments closely.
