The European Union granted protection status to 361.325 asylum seekers in 2025, a number down 18% compared to 2024, according to data released on Friday by Eurostat.
In Cyprus, a total of 8,575 first-instance decisions on asylum applications were issued in 2025, with Syrians being the largest group of applicants.
Specifically, according to the data, from the first instance decisions in Cyprus, most concerned applicants from Syria (3,340), followed by applications from citizens of the Democratic Republic of Congo (1,450) and Nigeria (545).
At the European Union level, Member States granted protection status to 361,325 asylum seekers in 2025, recording an 18% decrease compared to 2024, when 437,735 were granted.
Of the total number of people who received protection in the EU, 51% received refugee status, 25% humanitarian status and 24% subsidiary protection.
Compared to 2024, the number of those granted refugee status decreased by 0.5%, while subsidiary protection recorded a decrease of 50%. In contrast, humanitarian status increased by 11%.
The highest number of protection grants was recorded in Germany, which granted protection to 103,360 people, representing 29% of the EU total. This was followed by Spain with 76,210 decisions (21%) and France with 72,930 (20%). These three countries accounted for 70% of all positive decisions in the EU.
Afghans were the largest group of beneficiaries of protection in the EU in 2025, accounting for 27% of the total, followed by Venezuelans with 16%, Syrians and Ukrainians with 5% each.
Eurostat also reports that in 2025 a total of 832,360 first-instance decisions on asylum applications were issued in the EU, as well as 170,175 final decisions following appeal or review.
Of the first-instance decisions, 325,765 resulted in protection, while an additional 35,565 people received protection after appeal or review.
The recognition rate in the EU stood at 39% for first-instance decisions, while for final decisions following appeal or review it was 21%.
Among the five nationalities with the highest number of first-instance judgments in 2025, Venezuelans recorded the highest recognition rate with 92%, followed by Afghans with 73% and Turks with 13%.
In the final decisions after appeal or review, the highest recognition rates were recorded for Syrians with 67%, Afghans with 36% and Iraqis with 18%.
CNA
