Syrians' asylum requests in Europe drop to decade low
BRUSSELS
Asylum applications filed by Syrians in the European Union dropped to their lowest in over a decade in February following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, the EU's asylum agency has said.
Data from the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) showed Syrians lodged 5,000 requests in the 27-nation bloc plus Switzerland and Norway in February, down 34 percent on the previous month.
"The latest asylum figures show how important stability in other regions is for Europe," said Magnus Brunner, the EU's migration commissioner.
Longtime Syrian ruler Assad was toppled by Islamist-led rebels in December 2024 after more than a decade of civil war.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians who had sought shelter abroad have since returned home, according to the United Nations.
Overall in February, the EU's 27 states, Switzerland and Norway received about 69,000 asylum applications, following a decreasing trend that started in October 2024, the EUAA said.
Syrians, who long accounted for the most applicants, were the third largest group, behind Venezuelans and Afghans.
France was the main recipient nation, followed by Spain, and Germany -- which had been the top destination for years.
The change in Syria has prompted EU countries to plan the return of migrants residing within their borders.
Most recently, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner traveled to Damascus on April 27, marking a rare visit by Western officials to Syria’s capital to discuss the voluntary return of Syrian refugees.
Germany’s Interior Ministry is also working on a regulation that would permit Syrians with protected status to visit their home country without risking the loss of their protection status.
