“In December 2024, 62 085 first-time asylum applicants (non-EU citizens) applied for international protection in EU countries, marking a 17% decrease compared with November 2024 (74 485) and a 20% decrease compared with December 2023 (77 750)”, today’s Eurostat report says. “There were also 6 560 subsequent applicants, representing a 6% decrease compared with November 2024 (7 005) and a 15% increase compared with December 2023 (5 680)”. In the fourth quarter of 2024, 199 975 first instance decisions were issued in the EU, up 11% compared with the previous quarter (180 965) and up 19% compared with the same period of the previous year (168 505). Out of these first instance decisions, 50% were positive (99 380). In December 2024, Syrians remained the largest group of people seeking asylum (8 345 first-time applicants), followed by Venezuelans (6 345) and Afghans (5 595). Germany (12 175), Spain (11 160), France (11 085) and Italy (9 715) continued to receive the highest number of first-time asylum applicants, accounting for 71% of all first-time applicants in the EU. “In December 2024, a total of 2 500 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum for the first time in the EU, most of them coming from Syria (635), Egypt (540) and Afghanistan (295). The EU country that received the highest number of asylum applications from unaccompanied minors was Germany (685), followed by Greece (605) and Spain (265)”. Among asylum seekers granted protection status at first instance in the EU, 39% received refugee status, 40% were given subsidiary protection and 21% received humanitarian status.