Illegal migrant crossings into Europe saw a significant decrease of 31% in the first quarter of 2025 compared to the same period last year, according to Frontex, the EU’s external border protection agency.
The total number of crossings dropped to nearly 33,600, with declines observed across all major migration routes to Europe.
The most notable drop occurred along the Western Balkan route, where crossings plummeted by 64%. Helena Hahn, a Migration and Diversity analyst at the European Policy Centre, suggested that the decline could be attributed to a combination of factors, including increased border enforcement by Balkan countries, challenging winter weather conditions, and growing awareness of the risks of human rights violations during migration. Hahn also pointed to geopolitical shifts, such as the change in regime in Syria, which contributed to a 17% decrease in asylum applications in 2024. However, she cautioned that migration numbers could rise again later in the year, particularly in the late summer and autumn.
The Western African route also experienced a significant decrease, with crossings falling by 30%. This route, which connects Senegal, Mauritania, The Gambia, and Western Sahara to Spain’s Canary Islands, saw fewer migrant attempts as well.
Crossings along the Eastern Mediterranean route, primarily leading to Cyprus, Greece, and Bulgaria from countries like Afghanistan, Sudan, and Egypt, dropped by 29%. Similarly, the Central Mediterranean route, which stretches from western and central Africa through Niger and Libya to Italy, saw a 26% decline in attempted crossings.
Despite the overall decrease, the Eastern Mediterranean route remained the most popular pathway, with 9,267 crossing attempts. The Western African route followed closely with 9,205 attempts, while the Central Mediterranean route ranked third with 8,542 attempts, mainly by migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Syria.
While routes into mainland Europe have seen a decline, the United Kingdom continues to be a primary destination for migrants. Frontex reported 11,000 illegal crossing attempts from France to the UK in the first four months of 2025.
