Preliminary data from Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, show that irregular entries into the European Union fell by 22% in the first ten months of 2025, totaling 152,000. Over 3,800 Frontex officers support national authorities in securing the EU’s external borders.
Key Trends by Route
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Western African route: Sharpest decline, down 59% to 14,100 detections; main nationalities were Mali, Senegal, and Guinea.
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Western Balkan route: Declined 46%.
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Eastern Land Border: Fell 38%.
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Central Mediterranean: Remained busiest route with nearly 59,000 arrivals, mostly from Libya (90% of departures), stable compared to last year.
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Eastern Mediterranean: Fell 25% to around 43,000 crossings, though Libya–Crete detections rose 272% year-on-year.
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Western Mediterranean: Crossings rose 27%, primarily from Algeria; main nationalities were Algerian and Moroccan.
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Channel crossings to the UK: Slight increase of 3% to nearly 59,000 attempts.
Human Impact
Despite the overall decline, the human toll remains severe. The International Organization for Migration estimates that over 1,500 people have died attempting to cross the Mediterranean in 2025.
(Frontex)
