This briefing outlines several recent trends such as:

• Irregular migration is on the rise: In 2022, Frontex recorded 330 000 irregular crossings of the EU's external borders – the highest recorded number since 2016.
   
• Asylum systems are under pressure: The overall number of applications for international protection reached 966 000 in 2022 – the highest since 2016.
   
• EU temporary protection was granted to people fleeing the war in Ukraine: In December 2022 there were 3.8 million beneficiaries of temporary protection in the EU.
   
• Rates of return remain persistently low: The number of people ordered to leave the territory of the EU dropped as low as 287 000 in the period of January-September 2022, and the number of people who were effectively returned halved between 2019 and 2022.
   
• Fewer Schengen visas were issued owing to the pandemic: The number of visa applications dropped significantly in 2020 due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. In 2021, the Schengen states issued 2.4 million visas at their consulates. An additional 69 400 visas were issued directly at the external borders.

In this context, the EU opted for key policy developments. For example:

• The COVID-19 pandemic pushed Member States to adopt extraordinary border measures, including temporary restrictions of non-essential travel into the EU.
   
• The pandemic also affected efforts to implement key EU measures aiming to strengthen the external borders, including the strengthening of Frontex and the expansion of EU-wide information systems for borders and security.
   
• The sudden rise in the number of irregular crossings at the eastern land borders led the affected Member States to take emergency measures to protect the borders. The Commission also proposed EU-wide measures in the field of borders and asylum and new legislation aiming to establish a permanent EU instrument to deal with (irregularly crossing) migrants in situations of instrumentalisation.
   
• In the context of increased irregular migration through the Western Balkan route, the EU put pressure on the Western Balkan countries (benefiting from EU visa waivers) to further align their visa policies with the EU's list of visa-required third countries, in particular concerning those third countries posing irregular migration or security risks to the EU. As a result, for example, Serbia reinstated visa requirements for nationals of Burundi, Tunisia, India and Bolivia.

For further information, please read the full briefing attached above.