The number of illegal migrants crossing the borders of the European Union fell by 27% in the first four months of 2025, to almost 47,000, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) reported on Wednesday.
“The decrease continues on all main migration routes into the EU, from 58% on the Western Balkan route to 3% on the Central Mediterranean route,” Frontex said in a statement.
Frontex currently has 3,200 staff deployed along the EU’s external borders, working with national authorities to protect Europe’s borders and save lives at sea, the agency added.
Although the decline continued on all major migration routes into the EU, the Central Mediterranean route became the busiest, accounting for a third of all illegal migrants arriving in the bloc.
During the same period, the Eastern Mediterranean was the second most popular entry route, with more than 12,200 illegal migrants crossing the border.
Meanwhile, between January and April, the largest decrease in arrivals was observed in the Western Balkans, down 58%, followed by the route through West Africa, where arrivals fell by 34%.
