In a press release today, Frontex highlighted that the Central Mediterranean remains the most active route into the EU this year, with almost 114.300 detections reported by national authorities in the first eight months of 2023. Frontex further noted that "increased migratory pressure on this route may persist in the coming months with smugglers offering lower prices for migrants departing from Libya and Tunisia amid fierce competition among the criminal groups."

Arrivals on most of the other migratory routes so far this year saw annual declines, ranging from 5% on the Western African route up to 19% on the Western Balkan route. During the January-August period, the Western Balkan route, the second most active route with more than 70 550 detections, saw a decline of 19%, in large part due to tighter visa policies. The number of irregular crossings in the English Channel towards the UK in August stood at close to nearly 9000 bringing the total for the first eight months of 2023 to 36.250, or 13% fewer than in the same period of last year. 

For further information, please read the press release from Frontex.