The number of illegal border crossings at EU’s external borders in the first ten months of 2021 rose nearly 70% to 160 000* and 45% when compared with 2019, according to preliminary calculations,
FRONTEX reports.
In October, there were close to 22 800 illegal border crossings on Europe’s main migratory routes, 30% more than in 2020 when pandemic-related border restrictions were in place. It is also 18% more compared with October 2019 and the pre-COVID situation.
The most significant increase was reported on the Eastern, Western Balkan and Central Mediterranean routes and in Cyprus. The number of detections dropped in the Western Mediterranean.
On the EU’s Eastern frontier, the total number of detections of illegal border crossings this year amounted to close to 8 000, fifteen times more than in 2020. Main nationalities include migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria.
The EU border with Belarus remained the most affected by the migration flow in 2021. After reaching historical high of arrivals in July (climbing over 3 200), migrant arrivals on the Eastern land route decreased in the following months dropping to over 600 in October 2021.
While high level frictions between the EU and the Belarussian regime continue, the EU Member States neighbouring Belarus have all significantly strengthened their border-control measures under exceptional states of emergency. The enhanced controls prevented large-scale flows from reaching the EU from Belarus in October.
