In the first half of 2025, applications seeking asylum in the European Union dropped by 23%, the EU's asylum agency said Monday.

The Malta-based European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) said 399,000 new applications were lodged between January and June, down 114,000, or 23%, from the same period in 2024.

Germany lost its spot as the most preferred country for asylum seekers and saw the biggest decline in asylum applications standing at a 43% drop.

It was followed by followed by Italy and Spain, which saw 25% and 13% declines, respectively.

Massive drop in Syrians seeking asylum

The drop was largely driven by reduction in applications from Syrians seeking protection.

According to the data, Syrians registered around 25,000 requests in the 27-nation bloc, plus Switzerland and Norway (EU+), down 66% compared to the same period last year.

"This remarkable reduction is hardly due to policy changes in the EU+," EUAA said in a report, also crediting instead the ouster of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.

"With the new Syrian authorities advocating for stability and reconstruction, many displaced Syrians have evidently become more hopeful about returning to rebuild their communities."

This year, Syrians, which used to be the largest group seeking asylum, formed the third largest group after Venezuelans and Afghans.

Edited by: Elizabeth Schumacher