Latest Eurostat figures show that EU Member States granted 295,800 positive decisions on protection applications in 2019, a decline of 6 per cent on 2018 figures.
Of the nearly 300,000 positive decisions, 141,100 related to refugee status, 82,100 to subsidiary protection, and 72,700 to humanitarian protection.
Syrians were the largest group of beneficiaries, accounting for 27% of the total number of protection statuses granted by EU Member States in 2019. Afghans were the next largest group, accounting for 14% of the total number, followed by Venezuelans, accounting for 13%.
Eurostat figures show that in Ireland there were 1,550 positive decisions on asylum applications in 2019. Some 945 of the 1,550 positive decisions in Ireland related to refugee status, 165 related to subsidiary protection, and 435 decisions were made on the basis of humanitarian reasons i.e. grants of permission to remain under section 49 of the 2015 Act. The three largest citizenship groups issued a positive decision in 2019 in Ireland were Zimbabwe (12%), Pakistan (11%), and Albania (7%).
Accounting for 39% of all positive decisions made by EU Member States, Germany registered the highest number statuses granted in 2019. Germany was followed by France, which registered 14% of all positive decisions, Spain with 13% and Italy with 10%. Together, registrations in the four aforementioned EU Member States accounted for 76% of all positive decisions on asylum applications issued by EU Member States in 2019.
For more information on Eurostat’s most recent figures, click here.
Note: EU Member States are required to provide figures on humanitarian statuses that have a basis in national law concerning international protection only. Therefore statuses granted that exist outside of national law concerning international protection are excluded from these data. For more information see: National Statuses Granted for Protection Reasons in Ireland
