Irregular arrivals to the European Union are decreasing.

Omissions

• The MEP did not specify a time frame for the decreasing trend. Frontex data shows that the decline is measured from a 2023 peak of approximately 380,000 irregular border crossings.
• Frontex measures 'irregular border crossings' (detections of illegal border crossings at EU external borders), which is a proxy for — but not identical to — 'irregular arrivals'. One person may be counted multiple times if they attempt to cross more than once.
• While the overall trend is clearly downward, some individual migratory routes (such as the Western African route to the Canary Islands) have seen increases at certain points, though these are outweighed by larger decreases on other routes.

Sources

• PrimaryFrontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency)New preliminary data from Frontex reveal a significant 38% drop in irregular border crossings into the EU in 2024, reaching the lowest level since 2021. In 2024, the number of irregular border crossings at the European Union's external borders reached a total of just over 239,000.
• PrimaryFrontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency)The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union fell by over one-quarter (26%) in 2025 to almost 178,000. This is less than half the total recorded in 2023 and the lowest level since 2021.
• PrimaryFrontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency)Frontex reports a 40% decline in irregular border crossings into the EU during the first four months of 2026. Just over 28,500 crossings were recorded, according to preliminary data.
• PrimaryFrontex (European Border and Coast Guard Agency)In the first three months of 2026, detections fell by 39% compared with the same period last year, with just over 21,400 crossings recorded.