Frontex reports 37% decline in irregular EU border crossings in early 2026

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) said that irregular entries into the EU fell by about 37% in the first half of 2026, with just over 49,000 detections versus the same period in 2025. The drop is attributed to the new EU Migration and Asylum Pact and tighter cooperation with origin and transit countries, which have reduced the number of boats heading for Europe.

Frontex noted that the Eastern and Central Mediterranean routes together still account for more than 60% of irregular arrivals, recording roughly 16,600 and 14,300 crossings respectively – a 20% year‑on‑year decline for the former and a halving for the latter. The Western Mediterranean route bucked the trend, rising 17% to about 7,900 detections, driven mainly by departures from Algeria. Crossings on the West African route fell 67%, and the West‑Balkan corridor dropped 24% to 4,009. Attempts to cross the English Channel declined 44% to around 18,400.

Since the pact entered force, Frontex has deployed about 3,800 officers at the EU’s external borders and is assisting member states with nationality checks, biometric data collection and document verification. The International Organization for Migration estimates that nearly 1,300 migrants have died in the Mediterranean since the start of the year, underscoring the ongoing humanitarian cost despite the overall reduction in flows.