The Italian Ministry of the Interior released a statement on Friday revealing that the number of irregular migrants arriving at the Italian shores since the beginning of this year until March has reached approximately 6,560 migrants. This figure represents a significant decrease of 67.1% compared to the same period in 2023.
According to the Italian news agency Nova, the statement from the Italian Ministry of the Interior clarified that two-thirds of this year’s migrants arrived from Libya, noting that the majority of migrants arriving from Libya had departed from ports in the Tripoli region.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) recorded that the number of migrants from eastern Libya to the Greek shores reached 1,075 migrants at the beginning of this year until March. The majority of them are from Egypt, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, compared to 860 migrants for the entire year of 2023.
Europe’s migration landscape has been shaped by various factors, including the distinction between migrants, asylum seekers, and refugees, which affects the assistance and protection they’re entitled to under international law. Europe is experiencing a mixed-migration phenomenon, with economic migrants and asylum seekers traveling together, creating challenges in processing asylum applications across EU member states. Countries like Greece and Italy, heavily impacted by economic crises, have been primary entry points due to their geographical proximity to migrant origins, while shifting patterns have also brought attention to nations like Hungary.
In 2022, the EU witnessed a significant rise in irregular migration, with Frontex detecting about 330,000 irregular border crossings, marking a 64% increase from 2021 and the highest number since 2016. The Western Balkan and Eastern Mediterranean routes saw substantial increases in these crossings. Concurrently, the EU and associated states received 966,000 new asylum requests, more than a 50% increase from the previous year and the highest since 2016. However, only about 30% of individuals ordered to leave the EU due to irregular entry or stay actually return to their home country or the country from which they traveled to the EU.
Looking ahead to 2024, migration is poised to remain a critical challenge for the EU. The number of asylum applications is expected to reach levels not seen since the significant influx of 2015. In the first 11 months of 2023 alone, more than 350,000 individuals entered the EU irregularly, highlighting the ongoing pressure migration exerts on the bloc. Despite the challenges, experts argue that accommodating migrants is manageable, pointing to the integration of Ukrainians fleeing to the EU as a recent success story. The EU has initiated sweeping reforms aimed at addressing migration and asylum policy, with proposed measures to streamline and enforce more stringent procedures at borders and establish a solidarity mechanism among member states. However, these plans have faced criticism from human rights organizations concerned about potential impacts on asylum seekers’ rights.