Asylum decisions in the EU28 EU Member States granted protection to 135 700 asylum seekers in 2013 Syrians main beneficiaries

STAT/14/98

19 June 2014

Asylum decisions in the EU28

EU Member States granted protection to 135 700 asylum seekers in 2013

Syrians main beneficiaries

The EU28 Member States granted protection to 135 700 asylum seekers in 2013, compared with 116 200 in 2012. Over the last five years, more than 570 000 asylum seekers were granted protection status1 in the EU.

EU refers to EU27 for the years 2008 to 2011 and to EU28 for the years 2012 and 2013

These data2 on the results of asylum decisions in the EU28 are released by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union on the occasion of the World Refugee Day3 on 20 June 2014.

Syrians accounted for a quarter of all persons granted protection status in the EU28

The three largest groups of beneficiaries of protection status in the EU28 in 2013 remained citizens of Syria

(35 800 persons or 26% of the total number of persons granted protection status), Afghanistan (16 400 or 12%) and Somalia (9 700 or 7%).

Syrians, whose number has almost doubled compared with 2012, represented in 2013 the largest group granted protection status in half of the Member States and one of the three largest groups in 23 of the 28 Member States. Of the 35 800 Syrians granted protection status in the EU28, more than 60% were recorded in two Member States: Sweden (12 000) and Germany (9 600). Of the 16 400 Afghans granted protection, more than three-quarters were registered in Germany (5 000), Austria and Sweden (both 2 300), Italy (1 600) and Belgium (1 500). Of the 9 700 Somalis, 2 800 were granted protection status in the Netherlands, 1 700 in Sweden and 1 600 in Italy.

Largest groups granted protection status, 2013

Largest group

Second largest group

Third largest group

Citizens of

#

%*

Citizens of

#

%*

Citizens of

#

%*

EU28

Syria

35 830

26

Afghanistan

16 405

12

Somalia

9 715

7

Belgium

Syria

1 545

23

Afghanistan

1 455

22

Guinea

630

9

Bulgaria

Syria

2 020

81

Stateless**

335

13

Iraq

80

3

Czech Rep.

Syria

105

29

Belarus

80

21

Cuba

30

9

Denmark

Syria

1 380

41

Iran

425

13

Somalia

390

12

Germany

Syria

9 630

37

Afghanistan

5 005

19

Iran

2 720

10

Estonia

Russia

5

33

:

:

:

:

:

:

Ireland

Syria

40

20

Pakistan

20

10

Iran

15

7

Greece

Afghanistan

290

21

Iraq

195

14

Syria

175

12

Spain

Syria

150

27

Somalia

90

16

Occ. Palestinian Territory

75

13

France

Russia

1 990

12

Sri Lanka

1 530

9

Dem. Rep. of Congo

1 515

9

Croatia

Syria

10

43

Somalia

5

17

Kazakhstan

5

17

Italy

Afghanistan

1 600

11

Somalia

1 585

11

Mali

1 485

10

Cyprus

Syria

175

70

Egypt

15

7

Iraq

15

6

Latvia

Syria

15

46

Iran

5

14

Russia

5

11

Lithuania

Afghanistan

30

48

Syria

10

20

Belarus

5

8

Luxembourg

Iran

35

23

Afghanistan

20

13

Iraq

15

11

Hungary

Syria

130

31

Afghanistan

110

26

Somalia

50

12

Malta

Somalia

665

41

Eritrea

550

34

Syria

270

17

Netherlands

Somalia

2 780

26

Syria

2 105

20

Iran

1 035

10

Austria

Afghanistan

2 270

36

Syria

1 015

16

Russia

910

14

Poland

Russia

395

54

Syria

85

12

Georgia

60

8

Portugal

Guinea

25

19

Syria

15

10

Dem. Rep. of Congo

10

9

Romania

Syria

1 580

86

Iraq

40

2

Occ. Palestinian Territory

30

2

Slovenia

Syria

5

18

Afghanistan

5

13

Bosnia and Herzegovina

5

10

Slovakia

Afghanistan

20

27

Eritrea

15

18

Syria

10

16

Finland

Iraq

665

37

Somalia

240

13

Afghanistan

235

13

Sweden

Syria

12 015

46

Stateless**

4 110

16

Eritrea

2 565

10

United Kingdom

Iran

1 890

14

Pakistan

1735

13

Syria

1 545

12

Iceland

Syria

5

38

Iran

5

31

:

:

:

Norway

Eritrea

2 235

33

Somalia

1 285

19

Syria

745

11

Switzerland

Eritrea

2 415

37

Syria

740

11

Afghanistan

720

11

Liechtenstein

China

5

57

Somalia

5

43

:

:

:

Data are rounded to the nearest five.

: No data presented for those countries of citizenship where the number of positive decisions was 2 or less during the reference period.

* Persons with this citizenship granted protection status as a percentage of the total number of persons granted protection in this country.

** A stateless person is someone who is not recognized as a citizen of any state.

70% of protection status granted in five Member States

In 2013, the highest number of persons granted protection status was registered in Sweden (26 400), followed by Germany (26 100), France (16 200), Italy (14 500) and the United Kingdom (13 400). All together, these five Member States accounted for more than 70% of all those granted protection status in the EU28.

In total, of the 135 700 persons who were granted protection status in 2013, 64 500 persons were granted refugee status (47% of all positive decisions), 50 900 subsidiary protection (37%) and 20 400 authorisation to stay for humanitarian reasons (15%). In addition, the EU28 Member States received 4 800 resettled refugees4. It should be noted that, while both refugee and subsidiary protection status are defined by EU law, humanitarian status is granted on the basis of national legislation.

Positive decisions on asylum applications in 2013

Positive decisions*

Resettled

refugees

Total number

Of which:

Refugee

status

Subsidiary protection

Humanitarian reasons

EU28

135 725

64 465

50 895

20 365

4 840

Belgium

6 710

4 275

2 430

-

100

Bulgaria

2 495

180

2 315

-

0

Czech Republic

365

90

255

20

0

Denmark

3 360

1 865

1 415

80

515

Germany

26 080

13 870

7 955

4 255

280

Estonia

10

5

0

0

0

Ireland

205

185

20

-

85

Greece

1 415

585

395

435

0

Spain

555

220

325

10

0

France

16 155

13 410

2 745

-

90

Croatia

25

5

15

-

0

Italy

14 465

3 085

5 625

5 755

0

Cyprus

255

40

180

30

0

Latvia

35

15

20

-

0

Lithuania

60

15

45

-

0

Luxembourg

140

110

30

-

0

Hungary

420

200

215

5

0

Malta

1 610

45

1 450

115

0

Netherlands

10 620

1 685

3 900

5 035

310

Austria

6 345

4 345

2 000

-

0

Poland

735

200

140

395

0

Portugal

135

20

115

-

0

Romania

1 840

770

1 065

5

0

Slovenia

40

25

15

-

0

Slovakia

75

5

35

35

0

Finland

1 795

590

860

345

675

Sweden

26 395

7 435

17 135

1 825

1 820

United Kingdom

13 400

11 190

190

2 020

965

Iceland

15

10

5

0

:

Norway

6 770

4 840

1 170

765

955

Switzerland

6 605

3 165

885

2 555

0

Liechtenstein

5

0

5

0

0

Data are rounded to the nearest five.

0 means less than 3.

: Not available

- Not applicable

* First instance and final decisions on appeal.

More than a third of EU28 asylum decisions at the first instance resulted in protection status

In 2013, 326 600 first instance decisions on asylum applications5 were made in the EU28 and 135 000 final decisions on appeal. Decisions made at the first instance resulted in 111 100 persons being granted protection status, while a further 24 600 received protection status on appeal.

The rate of recognition of asylum applicants, i.e. the share of positive decisions in the total number of decisions, was 34% for first instance decisions. For final decisions on appeal, the recognition rate was 18%. In the Member States, the highest rates of recognition for first instance decisions were recorded in Bulgaria (87%), Malta (84%), Romania (64%), Italy and the Netherlands (both 61%), while those for final decisions on appeal were registered in Bulgaria (93%), Italy (78%), Finland (77%), Romania (60%) and the Netherlands (57%).

Recognition rates, 2013

First instance decisions

Final decisions on appeal

Total number

Positive

Rate of recognition (%)*

Total number

Positive

Rate of recognition (%)*

Total

Refugee & subsidiary protection status

Total

Refugee & subsidiary protection status

EU28

326 575

111 115

34

29

134 965

24 615

18

15

Belgium

21 390

6 280

29

29

11 485

430

4

4

Bulgaria

2 810

2 460

87

87

40

40

93

93

Czech Republic

900

345

38

36

415

20

5

4

Denmark

6 965

2 810

40

39

1 660

550

33

33

Germany

76 165

20 125

26

24

36 660

5 955

16

11

Estonia

55

10

17

13

0

0

0

0

Ireland

840

150

18

18

580

55

9

9

Greece

13 080

500

4

3

3 900

910

23

14

Spain

2 365

535

23

22

1 110

20

2

2

France

61 715

10 705

17

17

37 550

5 450

15

15

Croatia

185

25

12

12

95

0

0

0

Italy

23 565

14 390

61

37

95

75

78

71

Cyprus

800

165

21

20

960

90

9

7

Latvia

95

25

29

29

55

10

15

15

Lithuania

175

55

31

31

35

5

19

19

Luxembourg

1 245

130

11

11

670

10

1

1

Hungary

4 540

360

8

8

685

60

9

9

Malta

1 905

1 605

84

78

140

0

1

1

Netherlands

15 590

9 545

61

30

1 895

1 075

57

47

Austria

16 610

4 920

30

30

6 860

1 425

21

21

Poland

2 895

685

24

11

1 050

50

5

3

Portugal

305

135

44

44

100

0

0

0

Romania

1 435

915

64

64

1 550

925

60

60

Slovenia

195

35

19

19

60

0

3

3

Slovakia

190

70

35

17

115

5

4

4

Finland

3 185

1 620

51

42

230

180

77

55

Sweden

45 005

24 015

53

51

12 955

2 380

18

13

United Kingdom

22 355

8 505

38

34

14 010

4 895

35

27

Iceland

130

10

8

7

70

5

9

7

Norway

11 785

5 770

49

47

10 430

1 005

10

5

Switzerland

16 595

6 390

38

24

3 400

215

6

2

Liechtenstein

45

5

16

16

35

0

0

0

Data are rounded to the nearest five.

0 means less than 3.

* Rate of recognition is the share of positive decisions (first instance or final on appeal) in the total number of decisions at the given stage. In this calculation, the exact number of decisions has been used instead of the rounded numbers presented in this table. Rates of recognition for humanitarian status are not shown in this table, but are part of the total recognition rate.

Protection status includes three different categories of protection:

Person granted refugee status means a person covered by a decision granting refugee status, taken by administrative or judicial bodies during the reference period. Refugee status means status as defined in Art.2(e) of Directive 2011/95/EC within the meaning of Art.1 of the Geneva Convention relating to the Status of Refugees of 28 July 1951, as amended by the New York Protocol of 31 January 1967. According to the Art.2(d) of that Directive refugee means a third country national who, owing to a well-founded fear of being persecuted for reasons of race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership of a particular social group, is outside the country of nationality and is unable or, owing to such fear, is unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country, or a stateless person, who, being outside of the country of former habitual residence for the same reasons as mentioned above, is unable or, owing to such fear, unwilling to return to it.

Person granted subsidiary protection status means a person covered by a decision granting subsidiary protection status, taken by administrative or judicial bodies during the reference period. Subsidiary protection status means status as defined in Art.2(g) of Directive 2011/95/EC. According to the Art.2(f) of that Directive person eligible for subsidiary protection means a third country national or a stateless person who does not qualify as a refugee but in respect of whom substantial grounds have been shown for believing that the person concerned, if returned to his or her country of citizenship, or in the case of a stateless person, to his or her country of former habitual residence, would face a real risk of suffering serious harm and is unable, or, owing to such risk, unwilling to avail himself or herself of the protection of that country.

Person granted authorisation to stay for humanitarian reasons means a person covered by a decision granting authorisation to stay for humanitarian reasons under national law concerning international protection, taken by administrative or judicial bodies during the reference period. It includes persons who are not eligible for international protection as currently defined in the first stage legal instruments, but are nonetheless protected against removal under the obligations that are imposed on all Member States by international refugee or human rights instruments or on the basis of principles flowing from such instruments. Examples of such categories include persons who are not removable on ill health grounds and unaccompanied minors.

The data in this release are provided to Eurostat by Ministries of the Interior or Justice, or immigration agencies, of the Member States. These data are supplied by Member States according to the provisions of Article 4 of the Regulation (EC) 862/2007 of 11 July 2007 on Community statistics on migration and international protection.

For more information see:

http://www.worldrefugeeday.us/site/c.arKKI1MLIjI0E/b.8092105/k.B369/World_Refugee_Day.htm

Resettled refugees means persons who have been granted an authorisation to reside in a Member State within the framework of a national or Community resettlement scheme. Resettlement means the transfer of third-country nationals or stateless persons, on the basis of their need for international protection and a durable solution, to a Member State where they are permitted to reside with a secure legal status. Data relate to resettled persons who have actually arrived into the territory of the Member State.

A decision on an asylum application means a decision on an application for international protection as defined in Art.2(h) of Council Directive 2011/95/EC, i.e. including requests for refugee status or for subsidiary protection status, irrespective of whether the application was lodged on arrival at border, or from inside the country, and irrespective of whether the person entered the territory legally (e.g. as a tourist) or illegally.

First instance decision means a decision made in response to an asylum application at the first instance level of the asylum procedure.

Final decision on appeal means a decision granted at the final instance of administrative/judicial asylum procedure and which results from the appeal lodged by the asylum seeker rejected in the preceding stage of the procedure. As the asylum procedures and the numbers/levels of decision making bodies differ between Member States, the true final instance may be, according to the national legislation and administrative procedures, a decision of the highest national court. However, the applied methodology defines that 'final decisions' should refer to what is effectively a 'final decision' in the vast majority of all cases: i.e. that all normal routes of appeal have been exhausted.

Issued by: Eurostat Press Office

Vincent BOURGEAIS

Tel: +352-4301-33 444

[email protected]

Eurostat press releases on the Internet: http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat

For further information on the data:

Piotr JUCHNO

Tel: +352-4301-36 240

[email protected]

Alexandros BITOULAS

Tel: +352-4301-37 608

[email protected]

Follow Eurostat on Twitter: http://twitter.com/EU_Eurostat

بيان صحفي من مكتب الإحصاء الأوروبي يعلن أن السوريين أكبر المستفيدين من الحماية الدولية في الاتحاد عام 2013 (35800 شخص).