Europe is facing a sustained migration pressure that began during the 2015 refugee crisis when more than a million people fled war in Syria and sought asylum across EU borders. Even seven years later, the numbers show the strain persists and has grown. In August alone, EU member states recorded 77,595 asylum applications, 11,000 more than July and 54 percent higher than the previous year. Observers note that the period from May to July 2022 marked a monthly peak in international protection applications in EU countries not seen since 2015–2016 [European Asylum Agency].
Data from Frontex indicates that irregular crossings reached 275,000 in the first ten months of the year within the EU, a 73 percent increase from the same period in 2021 and the highest since 2016. The timeline for 2022 also reflects the impact of the Russian invasion, with about five million refugees and asylum seekers connected to the regional influx [European agency].
Officials noted that national asylum and reception systems across member states were under very high pressure. In a summary of a report, the Czech presidency acknowledged these strains. In response to the sensitive Ocean Viking case, an Extraordinary Council of Ministers of the Interior met to assess the pressure on central Mediterranean routes and other migration corridors. The assessment underscored that a sharp rise in arrivals, coupled with large numbers of people fleeing Ukraine, risks overloading reception facilities that are already near capacity in several EU countries [agency statement].
intergovernmental tension
The situation has put Belgium in the spotlight after authorities faced criticism for leaving hundreds of migrants and asylum seekers without shelter as centers filled up. Similar strains have sparked tensions elsewhere as member states feel overwhelmed by the scale of arrivals. In response, some governments including Austria, Hungary, and Serbia have begun reshaping borders and strengthening controls to curb further entries.
The leaders behind these moves—Karl Nehammer of Austria, Viktor Orbán of Hungary, and Aleksandar Vucic of Serbia—have framed their policy posture as preventing what they call an “asylum tourism” route. They describe the Western Balkans corridor as the primary current entry path for migrants. The Austrian chancellor emphasized the need to push for an action plan involving countries under pressure, such as Austria, to address the challenge along the Western Balkans route [policy brief].
Balkan route
In the first ten months of the year, the Balkan route saw 22,300 arrivals, the highest level since 2015 and a 141 percent increase from the previous year. Syrians remained the largest group of asylum applicants in August, with 11,860 requests, followed by Afghans at 10,675 as arrivals have surged since the Taliban takeover. Together, these two groups accounted for roughly one third of all asylum requests, surpassing Indians, Turks, and Venezuelans with notable increases not seen since 2014 [Eurostat data].
Eurostat’s latest comparison shows Germany receiving the most applications, accounting for about 22 percent of the total, followed by Austria (18 percent), France (15 percent), Spain (11 percent), and Italy (8 percent). The five countries together processed about 74 percent of all requests in August. At a ministerial meeting, Spain’s Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska warned that none of the routes could be neglected and urged the completion of an “Asylum and Immigration Agreement” before the end of the current European legislative term [EU council briefing].