New Eurostat release* shows that the number of asylum seekers granted a protection status in the EU27[1] during 2014 increased by almost 50% compared with 2013, to 185,000.
Overall, in 2014 the largest countries of citizenship of applicants who were granted a protection status in the EU27 were:
- Syria (68,435 or 37% of total number of persons granted protection status)
- Eritrea (14,600 or 8%)
- Afghanistan (14,100 or 8%).
The largest numbers of applicants granted protection status were registered in:
- Germany (47,600)
- Sweden (33,000)
- France (26,600)
- Italy (26,600).
These four Member States accounted for almost two-thirds of the total figure for protection statuses granted throughout the EU27.
Out of the 185,000 persons granted a protection status in the EU27:
- 104,000 (56% of all positive decisions) persons were granted refugee status
- 61,000 (33%) were granted subsidiary protection status.
- 20,000 (11%) persons were granted leave to stay on humanitarian grounds.
Some, 6,500 were received by EU27 member states as resettled refugees.
Key findings for Ireland:
In 2014, the main countries of citizenship of applicants granted protection in Ireland were:
- Afghanistan (55 or 11.1% of the total number of persons granted protection in Ireland).
- Iraq (55 or 10.9%).
- Sudan (40 or 7.7%).
In Ireland, 495 positive decisions on asylum applications were made in 2014:
- 225 (45 % of all positive decisions) related to refugee status
- 270 (55%) concerned subsidiary protection status
Some, 95 persons were received as resettled refugees.
For more information:
See Eurostat release: Asylum decisions in the EU
[1] Does not include Austria
*Note: Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5.
Protection status includes: refugee status; subsidiary protection status; leave to stay on humanitarian grounds.
