Nearly 40,900 persons sought international protection in EU+ countries in November 2020, approximately the same figures as in October, but still lower than the pre-pandemic numbers, the latest report of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) has revealed.

According to EASO, the current figures are consequences of the current restrictions imposed by many countries in a bid to halt the spread of the Coronavirus disease, StudyinPoland.info reports.

From the beginning of the year to the end of November 2020, about 422,000 applications were filed in the EU+ countries, a 31 per cent decrease compared to the same period in 2019.

“At the same time, there were just 116 840 detections of illegal border-crossing at the EU+ external borders; detections at the border did increase from some 11 500 in August to some 20 300 in November, but there were still twice as many applications for asylum than detections at the border,” EASO’s statement reads.

The report stresses that arrivals on the Western African route marked an increase throughout this period, while a decrease has been observed in the Mediterranean way, compared to the figures of 2019.

From the applications filed in November 2020, 12 per cent of them were repeated applications, which means these persons filed an application for international protection after a final negative decision had been made on their previous application, in the same country.

Even though November figures mark a slight increase compared to October’s data, these were the highest figures since May 2020, when repeated applications accounted for 16 per cent of the total.

About 5 per cent of applications filled in November accounted for unaccompanied minors seeking asylum in the European Union countries. However, November’s figures (1,900) marked a decrease compared to October (2,000).

EASO’s recent report reveals that over 42,900 decisions were issued at first instance during November. The figures were considered to those of October’s, but the lowest compared to any other month of 2020 (not taking into account April to June when the majority of EU+ countries suspended their asylum services).

About 876,200 pending cases were registered in October 2020 in EU+ countries, while at the end of November there were about 410,900 pending cases with asylum authorities. The figures show that the number of pending cases continued to decrease, from over one million registered in March.

November’s figures regarding the pending cases are the lowest since mid-2019.

“In November, notably Syrians and Colombians were issued more decisions than expected based on the number of pending cases. The share of cases awaiting a first instance decision for more than six months increased from 52 per cent in February to 73 per cent in August and declined since then, reaching 63 per cent in November,” the report reads.

As for the first instance recognition rate in European Union countries, November’s data (35 per cent) show a slight increase compared to October; however, it may indicate that the recognition rate is stabilizing after differing during the first months of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Top Citizenships Seeking International Protection in EU countries

Citizens of Syria (5,787 or 14 per cent), Afghanistan (5,365 or 13 per cent), and Pakistan (2,068 or 5 per cent) made the majority of applications lodged in the European Union countries, in November. However, the applications filed by all three citizenships are fewer compared to October 2020.

For citizens of Syria and Afghanistan, the figures were below compared to the pre-pandemic levels (in January), but this is not the case for Pakistani citizens. In November, the number of Pakistani applications returned to January’s figures.

Iraqis, Colombians, Venezuelans, Nigerians, Turks, Bangladeshis, and Somalis were very interested in seeking asylum in the European Union countries, in November 2020. However, the figures were smaller compared to October and pre-pandemic figures.

Applications filed by Colombia and Venezuela citizens in November were lower by two-thirds compared to the applications submitted at the beginning of last year.

Nigerians lodged the highest number of repeated applications in the same European Union country.

“Among other citizenships with more than 500 applications, applicants from Russia lodged the most repeated applications (two in every five), followed by Albanians (27 per cent), Moldovans (24 per cent), Iranians, Georgians, and Guineans (about 20 per cent each),” the report notes.

Citizens of Afghanistan account for the largest group of UAM (almost half of all UAM applications in October and November together), followed by Syrians (14 per cent), Pakistanis (6 per cent), and Somalis (5 per cent).

First Instance Decisions, EU+ Recognition Rates & Pending Cases for Top Citizenships

Nearly a quarter of first instance decisions in November last year were issued to Syrians (14 per cent) and Afghans (12 per cent).

Decisions issued to Colombia citizens declined in November, compared to July and September figures, but still remained above the pre-pandemic levels.

Venezuela citizens continued to receive a low number of decisions in November (1,774).

Syrians had the highest recognition rate (84 per cent), among the ten nationalities issued the most decisions at a first instance from January until November 2020, followed by the Somalis (60 per cent) and Afghans (53 per cent).

Citizens of Afghanistan (48,503 or 12 per cent of the total cases pending in the EU+ countries) Syria (37,651 or 9 per cent) as well as those from Pakistan, Venezuela and Turkey were the top five citizenships with the most pending cases, at the end of November.

First instance pending cases include those applications that are still being processed with asylum authorities.

A Comparison to October 2020 Figures

A total of 43,200 applications for international protection in the EU were lodged in October 2020 in the EU+ countries, according to the previous report published by EASO.

October’s figures remained low compared to the first months of 2020. In January, 65,692 persons sought asylum in European Union countries, and 61,421 in February.

From the beginning of January 2020 until October there were filed a total of 381,015 applications, a 31 per cent decline compared to the same period last year.

The decrease in the number of international protection applications in the EU is mainly due to the restrictions, bans and lockdowns imposed by many countries’ governments in a bid to stop the spread of the Coronavirus pandemic.