WARSAW, POLAND / RankWire.AI / – Preliminary border data shows a 37% reduction in irregular crossings into the European Union during the first seven months of 2026. Frontex reported approximately 61,000 detections from January through July, a decrease compared to the same period in 2025. The majority of the EU’s primary migration pathways experienced declines during this timeframe. These figures encompass activity at external borders and highlight notable differences between routes spanning the Mediterranean, Atlantic, and eastern frontier.
The Eastern Mediterranean emerged as the busiest route in the seven-month span, with 20,232 detections, representing a 28% drop from 28,068 in the previous year. The Central Mediterranean recorded 16,454 detections, which is a 55% decrease from 36,656. These two routes together made up roughly three-fifths of the total EU entry detections documented in the data. Libya continued to serve as the primary departure country for crossings along the Central Mediterranean route during this reporting period.
The Western Mediterranean saw the most notable increase among key routes, with detections rising by 37% to 11,217 from 8,175 in the first seven months of 2025. Sea crossings there amounted to 8,648, compared to 7,096 a year earlier. Land detections through June increased to 2,569 from 1,079. Conversely, the Western African route experienced a 60% decrease, falling to 4,682. Detections along the Western Balkan route declined by 26% to 4,910, while the Eastern Land Border saw a 44% drop to 3,209.
Western Mediterranean’s Divergence from Overall Decline
Crossings toward the United Kingdom via the Channel also experienced a sharp decrease during this period. Authorities recorded 22,469 attempted or completed crossings from the EU side, marking a 46% decline from 41,647 in the previous year. These Channel figures are separate from the total irregular entries into the bloc. Data further indicated 281 detections on the circular route to Albania, reflecting a 9% increase. The overall seven-month figure excludes exceptional activity at Ceuta, Spain, at the end of July.
Frontex compiled the data from early EUROSUR information and estimates available as of Aug. 4. The agency may update the figures as national authorities submit revised data. Since Frontex counts detections rather than individual people, one person could be recorded multiple times—such as when detected at different locations or on separate crossing attempts. This distinction influences the interpretation of route totals across the dataset.
The decline persists into July, confirming earlier trends
The July data continue to reflect the year-on-year decrease observed during the first half of 2026. Up to June, authorities identified more than 49,000 irregular border crossings, which is a 37% decrease compared to 2025. At that point, detections along the Western Mediterranean were 17% higher than the previous year. The full seven-month data show this increase expanding to 37%. The Western African route experienced a 67% decline through June, narrowing to a 60% decrease over the full period.
Approximately 3,800 Frontex officers operate at the European Union’s external borders, assisting national authorities with border management and sea operations. They also support member states in tasks related to EU migration and asylum policies. The latest figures demonstrate broad reductions across most major entry routes during the first seven months of 2026, with the Western Mediterranean remaining the main exception. Meanwhile, the Eastern and Central Mediterranean routes continue to comprise the largest share of detected irregular crossings.