EMN publishes Asylum and Migration Overview 2025

In 2025, EU Member States prepared for the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, while the Council of the European Union reached agreement on a new Return Regulation. Migration, asylum and integration also remained high on the agenda of individual EU Member States and EMN Observer Countries. At the national level, many countries prioritised the development of new policies in these areas.

> Read the full Asylum and Migration Overview 2025

The number of applications for international protection in the European Union declined in 2025, largely due to the changing situation in Syria. At the same time, the number of short-stay Schengen visas issued increased. In 2025, Europe marked the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement, coinciding with the full accession of Bulgaria and Romania to the Schengen Area.

At the national level, developments in migration policy reflected broader European trends. Preparations for the Pact on Migration and Asylum—the most far-reaching reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) since its establishment in the early 2000s—featured prominently across all countries. Significant progress was also made in other areas, including temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine and legal migration.

Key developments and trends in 2025

• A decline in first-time applications for international protection in the EU, from 912,425 in 2024 to 669,710 in 2025 (a decrease of 27%).
• An increase in the number of short-stay Schengen visas issued in the EU, from 9.3 million in 2024 to more than 9.5 million in 2025.
• The launch of the Entry/Exit System (EES).
• Adoption of the new Return Regulation (EU) 2025/2611, strengthening the mandate of the European Union Agency for Law Enforcement Cooperation (Europol) to prevent and combat migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings.
• Continued digitalisation of migration systems at both national and EU level.
• Targeted national measures to attract specific categories of migrants, including highly skilled workers, international students and global talent.
• New policies introducing stronger safeguards against the exploitation of labour migrants through stricter admission requirements, enhanced monitoring and changes to visa schemes.
• National measures to improve the efficiency of asylum procedures, including faster processing and better identification of applications with a low likelihood of success.
• New policies aimed at strengthening border management, improving the effectiveness of return procedures and combating irregular migration.
• Further strengthening of integration policies, particularly in relation to labour market participation and early integration measures.
• Amendments to the legal framework governing temporary protection for displaced persons from Ukraine, including pathways to alternative residence statuses.

About the Asylum and Migration Overview 2025

The Asylum and Migration Overview 2025, published by the European Migration Network (EMN), highlights key developments in migration and asylum policy across Europe. It provides a comprehensive overview of policy and legislative developments across a wide range of migration and asylum topics in EU Member States and EMN Observer Countries during 2025. The report also includes European statistics on migration, asylum and migrant smuggling compiled by Eurostat.