In 2006, it can be generally stated that the EU Member States and Schengen associated countries noted a decreasing trend of illegal entries at their external EU / Schengen borders. Contrary to this general decreasing trend, detections and apprehensions have increased at the Spanish external borders and in Greece, mainly at the Turkish land border, as reported.
Schengen Member States reported a significant scale of detections within the internal Schengen borders as a consequence of inland migration and general police control measures (e.g. Germany, Austria, France, and the Netherlands). The main nationalities detected at the eastern external land borders in 2006 were Ukrainians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Serbians, Albanians, Moldovans and Indians.
The main border sections in regards to detection, apprehension and refusal of entry of illegal migrants are: the land border between Slovakia and Ukraine, between Slovenia and Croatia, between Greece and Albania as well as between Greece and Turkey. The Austrian external Schengen borders; the Spanish towns of Ceuta and Melilla; the Canary Islands; Sicily and the island of Lampedusa; the United Kingdom air and sea borders; the Greek - Turkish sea border is also a site of significant illegal immigration.
In 2007, the general picture is not as clear; Spain, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia continued to report declining numbers while France, Greece, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic reported an increase.
The largest detection figures were reported by Greece, Italy, Spain and France, that is altogether 80 per cent of the overall number of detections. Taken into account that Romanian and Bulgarian nationals have not been included in the statistics on migration as from 2007, the overall situation shows a status quo or a slight upward trend. Especially the pressure at the air and land borders seems to be on the increase.
The general situation at the sea border improved and the number of detected illegal migrants declined. Detections at the sea borders of Spain decreased by 70 per cent compared to 2006. Italy reported almost 22,000 detections and an upward trend of 13 per cent. Also Greece reported higher numbers; with sharp increase of 170 per cent, it had some 9,300 detected illegal border crossings. The situation at the southern maritime borders remains a source of serious concern.
Schengen Member States reported a significant scale of detections within the internal Schengen borders as a consequence of inland migration and general police control measures (e.g. Germany, Austria, France, and the Netherlands). The main nationalities detected at the eastern external land borders in 2006 were Ukrainians, Romanians, Bulgarians, Serbians, Albanians, Moldovans and Indians.
The main border sections in regards to detection, apprehension and refusal of entry of illegal migrants are: the land border between Slovakia and Ukraine, between Slovenia and Croatia, between Greece and Albania as well as between Greece and Turkey. The Austrian external Schengen borders; the Spanish towns of Ceuta and Melilla; the Canary Islands; Sicily and the island of Lampedusa; the United Kingdom air and sea borders; the Greek - Turkish sea border is also a site of significant illegal immigration.
In 2007, the general picture is not as clear; Spain, Germany, Hungary and Slovenia continued to report declining numbers while France, Greece, Lithuania, and the Czech Republic reported an increase.
The largest detection figures were reported by Greece, Italy, Spain and France, that is altogether 80 per cent of the overall number of detections. Taken into account that Romanian and Bulgarian nationals have not been included in the statistics on migration as from 2007, the overall situation shows a status quo or a slight upward trend. Especially the pressure at the air and land borders seems to be on the increase.
The general situation at the sea border improved and the number of detected illegal migrants declined. Detections at the sea borders of Spain decreased by 70 per cent compared to 2006. Italy reported almost 22,000 detections and an upward trend of 13 per cent. Also Greece reported higher numbers; with sharp increase of 170 per cent, it had some 9,300 detected illegal border crossings. The situation at the southern maritime borders remains a source of serious concern.
In 2007, the main areas in Europe identified as highly affected by illegal migration according to the number of detections and apprehensions of illegal migrants were:
• Land borders in South-Eastern Europe, especially the Greek-Albanian and the Greek-Turkish borders;
• Air borders in North and West Europe, especially in France;
• Sea borders in South and South-Eastern Europe, especially the Greek-Turkish sea border and the Italian coast.
Reportedly, Albanian nationals detected crossing the EU external border illegally most often. The detections mainly took place at the external land border of Greece with Albania. Iraqi nationals were on the second place and detected at all external borders of Greece and at the air borders of various Member States. Moroccan illegal migrants, who were usually detected at the sea borders, but also at the land border between Spain and Morocco, were the third most detected nationals.
The nationals of Afghanistan, Egypt, Algeria, Eritrea and Somalia were detected at the sea borders, while illegal migrants from Palestine, Pakistan and Serbia mainly at the land borders. Chinese nationals were mainly detected at the air borders, followed by Brazilians. In total 130,000 Third Country nationals were refused entry to the EU in 2007.
Member States reported more than 260,000 detections of illegal stay. Italy reported the highest number with more than 50,000 detections. Most Member States reported illegal stay inland only and not at exit checks. Most detected illegal migrants were from the neighboring countries, North Africa, long-term conflict areas, or from the most populated countries in the world. Member States reported almost 150,000 asylum claims in 2007. Sweden had with almost 35,000 applications the most of these claims, followed by Greece and the UK (both almost 20,000). Belgium and Poland both reported more than 10,000 claims, while the rest of the Member States reported less than 10,000 claims. Most asylum claims were filed by Iraqi nationals (35,000) followed by nationals from the Russian Federation.
In 2008, some 175,0004 detections of illegal border crossing at the external sea and land borders of the EU were reported by the Member States. This represents a 20% increase compared to 2007. Most of the increase was due to higher detections in Italy and Greece. Although slightly higher at sea borders, the detections of illegal border crossing split almost equally between the sea and land borders. However, while at sea borders the number of detections went up sharply (around 69 %), land border detections decreased slightly. As in 2007, detections at the Greek sea and land borders with Turkey and the land border with Albania accounted for almost 50 % of the EU total.
In Greece, detections at the sea border along the Turkish coast also doubled between 2007 and 2008 to 29,100 illegal border crossings. Detections were mostly reported at six islands close to the Turkish coast: Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Patmos, Leros, and Kos.
The land border section between Greece and Albania recorded the largest share of illegal border crossings with 38,600 detections, but compared to 2007, detections went down by 10 %. It should be noted that most illegal migrants detected at this border section, mainly Albanian nationals, are quickly returned to Albania under a long-standing and effective readmission agreement. However, despite this good collaboration, people who have been returned tend to rapidly cross illegally the border again. Altogether 14,500 illegal border crossings detected have been reported from the Greek–Turkish land border. Unlike at the Greek–Albanian land border, illegal migrants are neither returned quickly nor in large number. Compared to 2007, detections of illegal border crossing have decreased by 14% at this border section. Combined (sea and land borders) joint operation Poseidon 2008 was concentrated on that area.
Detections of illegal stay offer some indication on final destinations and secondary movement of illegal migrants in the EU. Compared to 2007, Member States’ data suggests that the number of persons detected staying illegally in the EU has increased by about 15 %. Ninety percent of the detections for illegal stay were reported in just eight Member States. At the top, France (81,200) and Spain (77,000) represented 40 % of all detections, and recorded the largest increase between 2007 and 2008. A second group of Member States comprising Italy and Greece reported slightly less than 50,000 detections each. A third group, Portugal, the UK, Belgium and Sweden, reported illegal stay ranging between 20,000 and 30,000. Other Member States reported less than 10,000 detections each.
Detections of illegal stay offer some indication on final destinations and secondary movement of illegal migrants in the EU. Compared to 2007, Member States’ data suggests that the number of persons detected staying illegally in the EU has increased by about 15 %. Ninety percent of the detections for illegal stay were reported in just eight Member States. At the top, France (81,200) and Spain (77,000) represented 40 % of all detections, and recorded the largest increase between 2007 and 2008. A second group of Member States comprising Italy and Greece reported slightly less than 50,000 detections each. A third group, Portugal, the UK, Belgium and Sweden, reported illegal stay ranging between 20,000 and 30,000. Other Member States reported less than 10,000 detections each.
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