Migration pressure is decreasing at the borders, according to Frontex
(B2) In 2017, the number of detections of irregular border crossings in the European Union fell significantly for the second consecutive year due to the decrease in the number of migrants arriving in Italy and Greece, according to the report of the european agency Frontex which has just been published.
A fall of almost two thirds
According to the first data, there was thus " some 204.300 illegal border crossings in 2017, 60% less than the previous year ". It is the central route – coming from Libya – which provides the bulk of the migrants (119.000 detections). But it is the western route, facing Spain, that worries European border guards the most: the number of irregular migrants detected at its western Mediterranean borders has more than doubled (to 22.900 detections). And we note a certain recovery, which is still limited against Greece (41.700 detections).
The Central Mediterranean Route
Fall of migrants from Libya
The sudden drop in the number of irregular migrants arriving in Italy in mid-2017 is arguably " the most significant development at the EU's external borders since the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement in March 2016 “We stress to the European agency. After the monthly totals for the first half of 2017 were more or less the same as the previous year, the numbers suddenly dropped from July. The total for the year is estimated at 119.000.
From West Africa
Nigerians accounted for the largest number of arrivals on the Central Mediterranean route – roughly one in seven migrants – followed by Guineans and Ivorians. NB: A fairly clear change compared to what we saw at the start of this migratory wave in 2015, when many people (asylum seekers mainly came from East Africa or Syria.
Eastern Mediterranean Route
Facing Greece, the Turkish wall holds...
At the EU's external borders with Turkey (essentially in Greece or Bulgaria), migratory pressure in 2017 remained " almost at the same level than the previous year after the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement.
... roughly
However, the number of detections in the second half of the year was higher than in the same period in 2016. This reflects according to Frontex “ the continued efforts of smuggling groups to circumvent border surveillance despite the Turkish authorities' strong commitment to border management ". NB: or a small relaxation of Turkish surveillance.
Syrians and Iraqis
In 2017, there were approximately 41.700 detections of illegal crossings at sea and land borders, " i.e. less than a quarter of the total in 2016 ". Syrians and Iraqis remain the first two nationalities to arrive in Greece last year on this eastern Mediterranean route. NB: That is to say, in large part, people who can claim to fulfill certain conditions for the right to asylum.
The Western Mediterranean Route
Increased pressure
While the other two key sea routes to Europe saw a drop in migratory pressure in 2017, the number of detected migrants arriving in Spain from North Africa hit a new high of nearly 22.900. This is more than double the record from 2016, and the highest level since Frontex began systematically collecting data in 2009.
Algerians and Moroccans
Much of this immigration is local. Nearly 40% of migrants are Algerian and Moroccan nationals, whose number has been on the rise since mid-2017. The other migrants came from West Africa (Ivorians in particular).
Location in the Moroccan Rif and larger boats
In question, the situation in the Moroccan Rif region, the main transit country for migrants heading for Spain " and " the increasing use of high-capacity boats capable of transporting large numbers of migrants » who created "the possibility of more departures from the West Coast in the second half".
(NGV)
Some vagueness on the figures
The total of the three routes indicated leads to a total of 183.600, or nearly 20.000 detections which are missing out of the total (204.300) indicated by the Agency. The explanation lies in migratory routes, considered minor. The agency, contacted by our care, proved unable to give us more precise figures on the other migratory routes, advising us “to wait until the next month to have the complete figures”. According to our elements, it is the Balkan route (about 12.000 detections according to the latest figures) - taken mainly by Pakistanis and Afghans, which constitutes the major part of this "hole". While the eastern route taken by Vietnamese, Ukrainians and Russians only resulted in less than 1000 detections. The rest seems lost in limbo.
Download the detailed statistical table (XLS file) - Jan - Nov 2017 showing routes and nationalities since 2009
