EU Sees 22% Drop in May Asylum Requests; Venezuelans Top List

The May total was 2% lower than in April, according to Eurostat data released this week. The decline continues a trend that has pushed application volumes to a multi-year low across the 27-nation bloc.

Venezuelans filed the most first-time applications, followed by Afghans and Bangladeshis. Together, these three nationalities accounted for a significant share of the total, though Eurostat did not provide exact percentages.

Italy, Spain, France, and Germany were the top destination countries, receiving the majority of all first-time applications. Germany also handled the largest number of cases involving unaccompanied minors, who submitted asylum requests in several member states.

The drop in May follows a broader downward pattern seen in recent months, reflecting fewer arrivals and tighter asylum policies in some countries. Eurostat's figures cover all EU members plus Norway and Switzerland, but the data released on Thursday focused on the EU only.