(Reuters) The number of first-time asylum seekers to the European Union has more than doubled over the spring months, according to a report by the bloc’s statistics office on Friday.
Nearly 103,900 first-time asylum seekers applied for international protection in EU countries between April and June of this year, according to Eurostat, up 115% compared to the same period of 2020.
Over the three months, Syrians represented around a fifth of first-time applicants — by far the largest group — followed by Afghans at 13% and Pakistanis at 4%.
Numbers of unaccompanied children applying for asylum also rose, up by nearly a fifth year-on-year to reach 4,240, with most minors applying for entry to Belgium, Austria and Germany.
