Frontex reports 35% fewer irregular crossings into the EU, but the tally excludes Ceuta

Nearly 75,000 crossings were detected in the first eight months of 2026. The Western Mediterranean route increased by 34%, amid the shift in departures toward Algeria described by the agency, while the mass crossings from Morocco into Ceuta remain outside the tally.

Irregular crossings detected at the European Union’s external borders fell by 35% in the first eight months of 2026, to nearly 75,000, according to preliminary Frontex data. However, the total does not include the mass crossings from Morocco into Ceuta at the end of July, for which the agency considers it unlikely that a definitive figure will be established.

In briefThe preliminary total of nearly 75,000 detections is 35% below the level recorded in January–August 2025. The mass crossings from Morocco into Ceuta are excluded, and the same person may be counted in multiple crossings.

The Western Mediterranean route increased by 34%, to approximately 15,900 detections, excluding the Ceuta episode. Frontex explains the development by the shift of more departures toward Algeria, following tighter controls on other routes.

The Eastern and Central Mediterranean routes accounted for nearly 60% of the reported total, although both declined. The largest reduction was recorded on the West Africa route toward the Canary Islands, with 58% fewer detections.

In August, detections fell by 38% compared with August 2025, to approximately 10,700. Frontex warns that networks remain active and describes longer and more dangerous journeys on the Atlantic route.

Frontex explains that most of those who crossed into Ceuta returned to Morocco without being registered. Their absence from the series limits what the tally can say about the scale of entries into the EU. The figures also measure detected events, not distinct individuals, since the same person may cross the external border multiple times.

The decline is not uniform. The Western Mediterranean route was the only one among the main routes to record an increase, with approximately 15,900 detections, 34% above the level recorded in January–August 2025. This figure also excludes the Ceuta episode. Algeria remained the main country of departure, while the Balearic Islands and mainland Spain were the main destinations.

According to Frontex, stricter controls in Morocco and on the West Africa and Central Mediterranean routes pushed more departures toward Algeria’s coasts. In July, the Western Mediterranean route reached its highest monthly level in the past three years, before declining in August. The agency thus describes a redirection of the routes used by networks facilitating illegal migration, alongside a reduction in the total recorded.

Most crossings continued to be detected on the Eastern and Central Mediterranean routes, which together represented nearly 60% of the reported total. More than 24,200 crossings were recorded on the Eastern route, a decrease of 25%. The corridor between Libya and the Greek island of Crete was the most active over the period as a whole, although in July the land border with Turkey had become the busiest section.

On the Central Mediterranean route, the number fell by 55%, to approximately 19,400. Libya remained the departure point for around two-thirds of the arrivals recorded on this route. Frontex attributes the reduction in departures to control operations, detention campaigns, and returns carried out by the authorities in Libya and Tunisia.

The largest reduction, of 58%, was recorded on the West Africa route toward the Canary Islands, where approximately 5,100 detections were reported. The agency cites preventive measures taken by Mauritania and, more recently, Senegal in cooperation with Spain and the EU. However, in July the share of vessels departing from Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau increased, which, according to Frontex, exposes those on board to longer and more dangerous journeys.

Approximately 10,700 crossings were detected in August, 38% fewer than in the same month of 2025. The summer also coincided with the beginning of the application of the new rules under the Pact on Migration and Asylum, from June 2026. The European Commission states that the screening procedure involves registration and checks concerning the identity, security, and health of people who do not meet the entry conditions. Frontex supports national authorities in establishing nationality, collecting biometric data, and checking documents.

The decline in detections does not eliminate the risks of crossing. “Networks facilitating illegal migration do not disappear when the figures fall,” says Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens. The agency reports, citing the International Organization for Migration, that more than 1,800 people have lost their lives in the Mediterranean since the beginning of the year up to the time of the statement.

https://2eu.brussels/ro/news/frontex-raporteaza-cu-35-mai-putine-treceri-neregulamentare-in-ue-dar-bilantul-exclude-ceuta