EU external borders: Irregular crossings fall by a third in Q1 2025

News News Release Management Board updates EU external borders: Irregular crossings fall by a third in Q 1 20252025-04-11 The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union fell by 31 % in the first quarter of 2025 to nearly 33 600, according to preliminary data collected by Frontex*. This decline was observed across all major migratory routes into the EU, with drops ranging from 64% along the Western Balkan route to 8% along the Eastern Land Border. Key Highlights:Eastern Mediterranean and Western African are the busiest routes this year. Western Balkans experienced the biggest drop of arrivals in January-March (-64%). Central Mediterranean sees significant y/y drop in arrivals in March Top nationalities detected: Afghan, Malian and Bangladeshi. Some 3 200 Frontex officers along the EU's external borders supports national authorities in their efforts to protect Europe's borders and save lives at sea. The Eastern Mediterranean and Western African routes are the most active pathways for irregular migration so far this year. The Eastern Mediterranean was the busiest, with 9 630 arrivals between January and March. Migrants on this route primarily originated from Afghanistan, Egypt, and Sudan. The Western African route followed closely, with 9 200 recorded arrivals during the same period. This represents a 30% decrease compared to the first quarter of 2024. The Central Mediterranean registered 8 500 irregular crossings in the first quarter of 2025. This represents...