The number of detected illegal border crossings into the European Union (EU) in 2018 is at its lowest level since 2013 after a significant drop for the third year in a row, according to
Frontex Annual Risk Analysis report.
Fewer migrants took the Central Mediterranean route into Italy last year, the reports said.
The Western Mediterranean route, from Morocco to Spain, saw more detected illegal crossings compared to any other part of the EU’s external border.
Tunisia replaced Libya as the main departure point for migrants heading towards Italy and other EU countries located near the centre of the Mediterranean Sea.
Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis were most commonly found to use the route to Eastern Europe via Turkey in 2018 – a route used by many Syrians fleeing civil war during the height of the migrant crisis in 2015.
The drop in the number of migrants entering Europe has also had a knock on effect on the number of illegal overstays recorded, down by almost a quarter in 2018 compared to the previous year.
TunisianMonitorOnline
