Asylum applications in the EU drop by 17% in June as countries tighten borders

Syrians remain the largest group among asylum seekers, while Germany, Spain, Italy and France face the most cases.

Transcript

00:00Many asylum seekers fleeing war and poverty see Europe as a fresh start.

00:11And despite a lot of political rhetoric about rising migration, forcing the issue to the top of the agenda,

00:18EU countries actually saw a 70% drop in first-time asylum applications in June.

00:27Syrians are still the largest group of people seeking asylum with more than 10,000 first-time applicants.

00:34They were followed by Venezuelans with 6,340 and Afghans with 5,930.

00:43Germany, Spain, Italy and France still receive the highest number of first-time asylum applicants.

00:50Among the 70,000 seeking asylum in the EU, a bit over 2,000 are unaccompanied minors.

00:58Most of these children apply for asylum in Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, the Netherlands and Spain.

01:05The 70% drop in asylum applications comes as some EU countries announce new tighter border controls.

01:14Germany decided to tighten its land borders for six months in September.

01:19The Dutch government has also confirmed its intentions to ask as soon as possible

01:24for an opt-out clause from the European Union's migration and asylum rules.