Right of asylum: solidarity with variable geometry
(B2) The latest statistics published by Eurostat on the right to asylum are striking. They are a good illustration of the solidarity differential that exists in the European Union
Germany is always generous
Of the approximately 333.400 asylum applications accepted by European countries, Germany wins the prize for generosity. It remains the main host country with more than a third of the asylum rights granted (139.555), followed by Italy (47.885) and France (41.440) in third position.
Austria, Sweden and Greece proportionally more involved
It can be noted that Austria (20.700) and Sweden (19.605), just like Greece (15.805) assume a much higher share of the burden in proportion to their population. While the United Kingdom (17.205) finds itself in retreat.
Weak solidarity in the East
While celebrating with drums and trumpets their entry into the European Union (exactly 15 years ago), the countries of Eastern Europe stand out for their poor granting of the right of asylum, refusing to ensuring their share of the burden: 435 people in Poland (mainly from Ukraine and Russia) (1), 365 in Hungary (mainly from Afghanistan and Syria), 165 in the Czech Republic (coming from Syria and Iraq), 45 in Slovakia (coming from Yemen and Afghanistan). The poorest countries in the region (Bulgaria and Romania) are the most generous in the area...
Little thumbs who shoulder their share of the burden
To compare, we can note that the European "little thumbs", the two island states of the Mediterranean, Cyprus and Malta, are incomparably more generous: 1225 people and 660 people welcomed respectively. With a territory and an economy which are not automatically more flourishing than those of their Eastern European counterparts which entered the European Union at the same time.
(NGV & ES)
See the latest communicated from Eurostat, published on Thursday (25 April).
A declining right to asylum
In 2018, the 28 Member States granted asylum or temporary protection to 333.400 people. That is 40% less than in 2017 (533.000 protections). To these must be added 24.800 resettled refugees, according to Eurostat. Syrians are the main beneficiaries of this protection (29%), followed by Afghans (16%) and Iraqis (7%). Overall the same top three as in 2017.
- The case of Poland is symptomatic, on the one hand because it is a country with an area and a population comparable to those of Spain; on the other hand by the population received. The first nationalities welcomed (in number) are not natives of Middle Eastern or Asian countries (Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen, etc.) like other Eastern European countries, but nationals of neighboring countries (Ukraine, Russia).
