Irregular migration to the EU fell by 35% this year, following a 55% reduction over the previous two years.

Omissions

• The 35% figure refers to detected irregular border crossings in the first eight months of 2026, not to a full calendar year, and the data are preliminary Frontex estimates.
• The metric is 'irregular border crossings detected' at the EU's external borders, which is not identical to total irregular migration (undetected entries and asylum applications are not captured).
• The '55% reduction over the last two years' is not a single published statistic but the compounding of two separate annual declines (38% in 2024 and 26% in 2025), which yields approximately 54%; the speaker rounded this to 55%.
• By the session date Frontex had also published first-nine-month 2026 data, showing a slightly different year-on-year change than the eight-month figure cited.
• The decline is measured against already low 2024-2025 baselines and varies strongly by route (e.g. Central Mediterranean remains the most active route).

Sources

• PrimaryFrontex — European Border and Coast Guard AgencyFrontex preliminary data show irregular border crossings into the EU fell by 35% in the first eight months of 2026, with nearly 75,000 detections.
• PrimaryFrontex — European Border and Coast Guard AgencyFrontex: Irregular border crossings down 26% in 2025, Europe must stay prepared. Initial consolidated figures from Frontex... In 2025, the Central Mediterranean remained the most active migration route into the EU, with detection levels broadly in line with 2024.
• PrimaryFrontex — European Border and Coast Guard AgencyNew preliminary data from Frontex reveal a significant 38% drop in irregular border crossings into the EU in 2024, reaching the lowest level...