Brussels
The European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) announced on Monday a significant drop in asylum applications from Syrians across EU member states this year.
According to the agency, Syrian asylum applications fell by 23 percent during the first half of 2025, compared to the same period last year, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Around 25,000 Syrians applied for asylum in the EU, Switzerland, and Norway, marking a 66 percent decline year-on-year.
The EUAA stressed that the decrease is not the result of changes in European asylum policy but rather linked to the collapse of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria. The agency noted that many displaced Syrians are now placing renewed hopes on returning home to rebuild their communities, as the country’s new authorities emphasize stability and reconstruction.
While Syrians once represented the largest group of asylum seekers in Europe, they now rank third, following Venezuelans and Afghans.
Read also: Turkey: Nearly 500,000 Syrians Returned Since Regime’s Fall
The report comes as dozens of Syrian refugees in Lebanon began returning home in late July under a voluntary repatriation program organized by the United Nations. According to Syria’s state news agency (SANA), the first convoy brought back 72 refugees.
UNHCR spokesperson Céline Schmitt confirmed that the returns are being coordinated with the refugee agency in Lebanon and Syria’s border and port authorities.
Earlier in June, UN Humanitarian Coordinator for Syria Adam Abdelmoula stressed that large-scale refugee returns would require substantial improvements in basic infrastructure. Writing on X, Abdelmoula underscored that “sustainable return” depends on livelihoods, essential services, and conditions that allow refugees to live in dignity.
“The United Nations remains committed to supporting Syria and its people in their recovery,” he added.
