Other legal developments at EU level included the revised Schengen Borders Code (Regulation (EU) 2024/1717). The recast Single Permit Directive (Directive (EU) 2024/1233) supported more streamlined admission and stronger worker protections. In June 2024, the EU adopted Directive (EU) 2024/1712 (the revised Anti-Trafficking Directive) to strengthen the fight against trafficking in human beings.
Another milestone was the phased enlargement of the Schengen Area to include Bulgaria and Romania, with internal sea and air border checks abolished from 31 March 2024 and progress towards land border checks to be lifted by 1 January 2025.
Russia’s continued war of aggression in Ukraine remained a source of displacement, and, in June 2024, the Council of the EU decided to extend temporary protection until 4 March 2026.
First-time applications for asylum decreased by 13% across the EU and Norway in 2024 from 2023 levels, with the highest number of applicants coming from Syria, Venezuela and Afghanistan. Nevertheless, international protection remained a key area of national and EU-level policy developments. At national level, these measures included steps to improve the efficiency and fairness of international protection systems in many EMN Member and Observer countries. In response to sustained application levels, countries also expanded or reorganised reception capacities or implemented new models for reception facility management.
As in previous years, addressing labour market needs and filling skills gaps was a focus of legal migration developments at the national level. Digitalisation and the use of technology continued to be a key area of attention across legal migration, asylum and integration and inclusion. These developments mainly concerned areas such as processing of applications, issuing residence permits and providing apps or portals to provide integration information.
The AMO 2024, along with its Statistical Annex, offers a comprehensive resource for policymakers, practitioners, researchers and the general public.
To dive into the full picture, read the Asylum and Migration Overview 2024.
