Cyprus and Greece recorded the highest numbers of applications for international protection in the EU relative to the size of their populations during the first half of 2026, Nina Gregori, Executive Director of the EUAA, said on Wednesday during a discussion on the 2026 Asylum Report in the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE).
Cyprus was specifically mentioned in connection with the relocation of asylum applicants as part of the implementation of the Pact on Migration and Asylum. The EUAA Executive Director said that the Agency, in cooperation with the European Commission and the Solidarity Coordinator, had established dedicated operational support for the relocation of asylum applicants from Cyprus to other participating Member States.
Applications fell across EU
Gregori noted that, in absolute terms, France and Italy received the highest numbers of applications during the first half of the year. Overall, applications for international protection in the EU fell by 17% compared with the corresponding period of 2025. According to Gregori, the decline was linked to fewer applications from Syrians, Venezuelans and Bangladeshi nationals.
Moreover, she explained that an operational plan had been drawn up and recently signed with Cyprus, Bulgaria and Romania. In Cyprus, she noted, the EUAA assists in identifying applicants who are to be relocated, matching them with receiving Member States and providing them with information ahead of their transfer.
According to Gregori, the first transfer from Cyprus to Romania took place on 25 August and involved 30 asylum applicants from Somalia and Sudan. She added that further relocations from Cyprus to Bulgaria and Lithuania were expected to follow.
Source: CNA
