Reasons for the continued decline, according to European border agency Frontex, include increased cooperation with partner countries and preventive measures in countries of departure. As a result, the number of boats carrying asylum seekers to Europe is decreasing, Frontex states.
Frontex released the latest figures on the day the European Union began a new step in its migration policy. With the entry into force of the asylum and migration pact, the focus shifts from 'reception of newcomers' to 'return of rejected asylum seekers.'
Redistribution
An important part of this EU agreement is that all EU countries will take in and house a portion of the newcomers. If some countries are unwilling or unable to do so, they must contribute financially to the reception of asylum seekers in other EU countries. A single European registration system for newcomers will be introduced.
Promotion
Another main change is the greater emphasis on return. European countries want rejected asylum seekers to actually leave when they are not granted residence rights. Supporters argue this is necessary because many return decisions are currently not enforced.
Outside the EU
Increasingly, collaboration with countries outside the European Union is being explored. Several EU countries are investigating options to temporarily house asylum seekers who must leave in special return centers outside European territory. Such plans still need further development and depend on agreements with the respective countries.
Greece has already passed legislation enabling the faster deportation of rejected asylum seekers and the future use of such centers. The country cooperates with other European countries interested in this model. The Netherlands has concluded a similar agreement with Italy.
Sent back
The debate about these so-called return centers is divisive. Supporters state that the new system can contribute to more effective return policy and less pressure on countries at the EU's external borders. Critics call them deportation centers and fear that oversight and legal protection will become more difficult when returnees are detained in camps outside the European Union.
Albania
The Italian initiative in Albania also plays a key role in the debate. This plan is seen by many EU countries as an important test case for cooperation outside the European Union. Although the project has faced legal and practical obstacles, there seems to be growing room for such centers. As a result, the Albanian model remains an important reference point for other European countries.
Registration too?
Besides return centers, European countries want to further expand cooperation with third countries. Consideration is also being given to 'registration centers,' where EU countries host their own offices in countries on the edge outside the EU, for example in the Balkans or North Africa.
With the introduction of the migration pact, European policy shifts to a new phase. Where the focus has long been on registration, reception, and border control, attention is now increasingly on implementing return decisions and cooperation with non-EU countries.