EU external borders: Irregular border crossings fall 25% in first two months of 2025
The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union dropped by 25 % in the first two months of 2025, to nearly 25 000, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex*. While most routes saw a decrease in the number of arrivals, the Central Mediterranean route defied the trend.
Key Highlights:
- Western African route accounted for a significant part of arrivals in January-February.
- Central Mediterranean route saw the biggest rise in arrivals (+48% year-on-year).
- Western Balkans experienced the steepest drop (-64%).
- Top nationalities detected: Afghan, Bangladeshi, and Malian.
Frontex supports national authorities in their efforts to protect Europe's borders with 2 900 officers along the EU's external borders.
Despite a 40% decrease from last year, the Western African corridor remained the most active route for irregular migration, with 7 200 arrivals recorded in January-February. Most migrants came from Mali, Senegal, and Guinea.
The Central Mediterranean route witnessed the biggest increase in the first two months of the year, up 48% year-on-year to almost 6 900. This made it the second most active migratory route to the EU.
Libya remains the primary departure point on this route, with smugglers increasingly relying on powerful speedboats to outmanoeuvre authorities. The cost of a sea crossing varies between EUR 5 000 and EUR 8 000 per person.
Bangladeshi nationals remain the most common nationality on this route, frequently leveraging formal agreements between Libya and Bangladesh to enter legally for work before embarking on the sea crossing.
By the end of February, the Eastern Mediterranean ranked as the third busiest migration corridor into the EU, with nearly 6 500 arrivals. However, detections on this route were down 35% from a year ago. After peaking at around 6 700 detections in October, the pressure on this route has steadily eased amid winter weather, with numbers dropping to 2 750 in February.
Sea crossings continue to put migrants’ lives at great risk, with many relying on organised criminal networks to attempt the journey. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) estimates that 248 people died at sea in January and February. In all of last year, this figure reached 2 300, underscoring the tragic human cost of these hazardous routes.
On the Channel route, the number of migrants attempting to cross into the United Kingdom dropped by 28% compared to last year, with detections slightly above 4 400.
We will be happy to support you in writing your story. Send us your questions please and will see how we can help you with it.
* Note: The preliminary data presented in this statement refer to the number of detections of irregular border crossing at the external borders of the European Union. The same person may cross the border several times in different locations at the external border.
