Illegal Crossings into EU Drop by 22% in 2025

Irregular border crossings into the European Union fell by 22 percent in the first nine months of this year, reaching around 133,400 cases compared to the same period last year, according to official data.

Despite this overall decline, the human toll remains severe. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that nearly 1,300 people have lost their lives so far this year while attempting to cross the Mediterranean Sea.

Data from the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, showed the largest declines along several routes: a 58 percent drop on the West African route, a 47 percent drop on the Western Balkan route, and a 36 percent drop along the Eastern land borders.

However, the Central Mediterranean route remains the busiest, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all irregular entries this year, with over 102,000 migrants—around half of them crossing through the central Mediterranean area.

Crossings along the Eastern Mediterranean route fell by 22 percent to approximately 37,200, while the Western Mediterranean route recorded a 28 percent increase. Around three-quarters of these departures originated from Algeria, where smuggling networks have reportedly been using high-powered speedboats and other sophisticated methods.

Migrants from Bangladesh, Egypt, and Afghanistan represented the majority of those attempting to cross the EU’s borders illegally.

Frontex also reported a 14 percent rise in illegal crossings into the United Kingdom via the English Channel, reaching around 54,300 attempts. More than 3,600 Frontex officers are currently assisting national authorities in securing the EU’s external borders.