While the arrival of irregular migrants falls sharply in almost the entire European Union (26% in 2025), Spain breaks the trend y becomes the great exception of the block.
The Western Mediterranean route – which connects Morocco and Algeria with the Spanish coasts – was the only one in the entire EU where migratory pressure increased last year: an increase of 14%, reaching a total of 19,403 irregular arrivals.
The European Border and Coast Guard (Frontex) attributes this rebound – which leaves the highest figures since 2019 – to the increase in departures from Algeria. The main nationalities of those arriving through this route are Algerians, Somalis and Moroccans.
Number of irregular arrivals between January and December 2025 on the main migratory routes of the European Union
With this strong increase, the arrival of irregular migrants from Algeria It already surpasses the route from West Africa to the Canary Islandswhich registered 17,280 irregular entries between January and December 2025.
This is the steepest drop in the entire EU (-63%), thanks to the “sharp declines in departures from Mauritania, Morocco and Senegal“, according to data from the Frontex annual report published this Thursday. The migrants arriving via this route are mostly from Mali, Senegal and Guinea.
In 2025, the route of Central Mediterranean It continued to be the most active migration route to the EU, with detection levels generally similar to those in 2024 (66,328 arrivals). Departures from Libya continued to be a key factor determining movements towards Italy.
On the Eastern Mediterranean route, detections decreased by 27%, reaching 51,399. However, the crossings from eastern Libya to the island of Crete multiplied by more than three, which “demonstrates how pressure can shift quickly even when the overall regional outlook points to a decline.”
Along the route of the Western Balkansirregular entries also decreased significantly (-42%), thanks to reinforced security measures. Among them, the launch of a new joint Frontex operation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Finally, detected departure attempts to the United Kingdom via the English Channel remained approximately in line with 2024 (65,861).
Overall, the three nationalities most frequently detected in 2025 were Bangladeshis, Egyptians and Afghans.
Libya remained the main departure country for almost all major nationalities recording increases, underscoring its continued central role in movements to Europe through the Central Mediterranean.
According to estimates by the International Organization for Migration, at least 1,878 people lost their lives in the Mediterranean in 2025, compared to 2,573 the previous year.
In total, irregular entries through EU borders fell by 26% in 2025, reaching almost 178,000. This figure is less than half of the total recorded in 2023 and the lowest level since 2021.
Despite this “significant progress”, Frontex warns that ““The situation on Europe’s borders remains uncertain.”.
“Migration pressure can shift rapidly between routes, influenced by conflict, instability and human trafficking networks. The EU is also already facing attempts by hostile actors to exploit migration flows to put pressure on external borders,” the report notes.
“The trend is going in the right direction, but the risks do not disappear,” said Frontex executive director Hans Leijtens.
“This drop shows that cooperation can pay off. It is not an invitation to relax. Our responsibility is to remain alert, support Member States on the ground and ensure that Europe is prepared for new challenges on its borders,” claims the director of Frontex.