In 2025, EU countries granted protection status to 361,325 asylum seekers, an 18% decrease compared with 2024 (437,735). Of these, 51% were granted refugee status, 25% humanitarian status and 24% subsidiary protection. Compared with 2024, the number of refugee status recipients declined by 0.5%, while subsidiary protection decreased by 50% and humanitarian status rose by 11%.
The highest number of people who received protection status was reported by Germany (103.360, 29% of the EU total), ahead of Spain (76.210, 21%) and France (72.930, 20%). Together, these 3 countries granted 70% of all protection status at the EU level.
This information comes from data on asylum decisions published by Eurostat. The article presents a selection of findings from the more detailed Statistics Explained article.
Afghans main beneficiaries of protection status
In 2025, most beneficiaries of protection status in the EU were Afghans (27% of the total number of people granted protection status in the EU), followed by Venezuelans (16%), Syrians and Ukrainians (both 5%).
Source datasets: migr_asydcfsta and migr_asydcfina
39% of first instance decisions resulted in protection status
In 2025, 832,360 first instance decisions on asylum applications were made in the EU, and a further 170,175 final decisions following an appeal or review. First instance decisions granted protection status to 325,765 people, and further 35,565 people received protection status after an appeal or review.
The recognition rate at the EU level, i.e. the share of all positive decisions among the total number of decisions, was 39% for first instance decisions. For final decisions following an appeal or review, the recognition rate was 21%. These rates include both international (i.e. refugee status and subsidiary protection) and national protection status (humanitarian status based on national legislation).
Source datasets: migr_asydec1pc and migr_asydecfp
Among the 5 citizenships with the highest number of first instance decisions in 2025, Venezuelans (92%), Afghans (73%) and Turks (13%) had the highest recognition rates.
For final instance decisions following an appeal or review, recognition rates were highest for Syrians (67%), Afghans (36%) and Iraqis (18%).
For more information
- Statistics Explained article on asylum decisions – annual data
- Statistics Explained article on asylum applications – annual statistics
- Statistics Explained article on children in migration – asylum applicants
- Thematic section on migration and asylum
- Database on asylum
- Migration and asylum in Europe – 2025 edition
Methodological notes
- An asylum procedure where an asylum applicant lodges an application for international protection, can result in different decisions, positive or negative, at the different stages of the procedure.
- Spain: provisional data used for 2025.
- Italy: data on final decisions in appeal or review not available for 2025.
- Data presented in this article are rounded to the nearest five.