Irregular border crossings into the EU have decreased by 20% between January and May, a decrease that has been more pronounced, at 35%, in the West African region, that is, in the flows heading to the Canary Islands, according to a report released this Wednesday by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).
According to the agency based in Warsaw, 63,700 irregular entries have been recorded since January, compared to the 80,000 detected in the same period of 2024.
Among the most notable trends is that of the West African route, which has registered a significant drop, with 35% fewer interventions and a total of 11,065 arrivals.
The most frequent nationalities in this area were Malian, Senegalese, and Guinean.
Cooperation between States to prevent departures
According to Frontex, this notable decrease is due to the strengthening of border controls and the migration policies recently reinforced in Mauritania, as well as poor weather conditions, and also to greater cooperation between the European Union and the countries of departure.
The joint Spanish-Moroccan patrols have been crucial in dismantling smuggling networks near the Canary Islands, Frontex points out in its document.
Despite the general decrease, the central Mediterranean was the most active route, with 22,700 crossings, which represents an increase of 7%. Libya is the main departure point for boats in that area.
The eastern Mediterranean was the second most active route, with 15,618 irregular crossings, 30% less.
The Western Balkans registered the most pronounced decrease of all the EU's external borders, with 4,055 attempted entries, 56% less between January and May.
So far in 2025, the loss of at least 651 lives at sea has been lamented in shipwrecks of vessels used in illegal migration activities.
In contrast to this generalized downward trend, the English Channel route to the United Kingdom increased by 17%, with 25,540 attempted irregular entries, in an area where Frontex denounces that "smuggling networks are adapting risky tactics".
