Unwanted migration: irregular border crossings in EU decrease significantly

In the first four months of the year, significantly fewer irregular border crossings have been registered in the European Union than in the same period last year. The total number fell by almost 30 percent to around 47,000, as can be seen from new EU data that the German Press Agency is available. The strongest decline was therefore recorded on the so -called Western Balkans route, where only around 3,100 people were counted – a minus of 58 percent.

But the numbers also decreased on all other important routes. On the central Mediterranean route from North Africa towards Italy there was a decline in the irregular border crossings by three percent to around 15,700. On the eastern Mediterranean route towards Greece, the numbers fell by 30 percent to around 12,200. And only around 3,500 people (minus 10 percent) came across the sea towards the sea, only around 10,400 (minus 34 percent) in the direction of Canary Islands.

EU Commissioner: Measures against irregular migration take effect

The EU Commissioner Magnus Brunner, responsible for migration, sees developments as evidence of the success of common European politics. “This shows that our measures take effect, especially the increased engagement with partner countries outside the EU,” says the Austrian. Together with the EU member states, they work to further contain irregular migration.

It is also about putting tugs, said Brunner. It is estimated that they collect five -digit amounts for the travel organization. Most people recently arrived from the countries of Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Mali.

FRONTEX numbers make argument more difficult to argue from the federal government

The current data was put together by the EU Border Protection Agency Frontex based in Warsaw. According to her own statements, it currently has 3,200 civil servants along the EU external borders. They work with the national authorities there and also monitor sea areas in which migrants are repeatedly in distress. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 555 people died at sea in the first four months of this year alone.

Meanwhile, the latest EU numbers could be a problem for the new German government. The reason is that they explain the currently reinforced controls at the German borders with inadequate advances in EU migration policy. In principle, only the EU external borders should actually be checked in the so-called Schengen area in order to enable free passenger and goods traffic within the Schengen area without annoying controls.

In addition, the new Frontex numbers show that not all refugees arriving in the EU also want to stay there permanently. In the first four months of the year, around 18,100 irregular border crossings or attempts at border towards Great Britain were registered. This was five percent more than in the same period last year.