EU irregular border crossings drop 60% in January

BRUSSELS, 20th February, 2026 (WAM) — Irregular border crossings to the European Union fell 60% in January 2026, with about 5,500 detections recorded at the bloc’s external borders, according to new data from Frontex.

The European Border and Coast Guard Agency said that severe winter storms and rough seas across major Mediterranean routes disrupted departures, even as more than 450 people died attempting the journey.

Frontex recorded about 5,500 detections of irregular border crossings at the EU’s external borders in January, down from roughly 13,500 a year earlier.

The agency attributed violent winter storms and rough seas across the Mediterranean, along with strong winds on land routes, to disrupted departures and made crossings more dangerous.

The Eastern Mediterranean remained the busiest route, with nearly 1,900 arrivals in January, even as detections there fell by 50% compared with the same month in 2025.

The Western Mediterranean and Central Mediterranean routes followed, each reporting around 1,200 arrivals and steep year-over-year declines.

The Western African route saw the sharpest drop, down 79% from January 2025 levels. Crossings along the Western Balkans route fell by 745, while detections at the eastern land border between Belarus and the Baltic states declined 75%.

On the Channel route toward the United Kingdom, detections decreased by about 9% to nearly 2,300. Frontex noted that its figures refer to detections of crossings, meaning that the same person may be counted more than once if they attempt to cross in different locations.

While arrivals dropped, the human toll climbed. According to data from the International Organisation for Migration’s Missing Migrants Project, 452 people died or went missing in the Mediterranean in January, more than triple the 93 recorded in January 2025.

In a press release, Frontex said, “Harsh conditions in the Mediterranean and strong winds along land borders made journeys significantly more dangerous and disrupted departures.”

The agency added that the weather slowed departures, while smugglers continued launching overcrowded boats in freezing temperatures and heavy seas.

Cyclone Harry, which hit parts of the Mediterranean coast between January 19 and 21, caused damage in Greece, Italy, Malta, and Portugal and further complicated sea crossings. Frontex linked the storm activity to the sharp monthly decline.

Frontex claimed that it has more than 3,000 officers deployed along the EU’s external borders. The agency supports national authorities in border management and search-and-rescue efforts, particularly during periods of severe weather.

The agency’s January data are preliminary and based on reports from EU member states and Schengen-associated countries. Frontex stressed that detection numbers do not equal unique individuals.

The drop in irregular border crossings comes as the EU rolls out new border management systems for short-term visitors.

The Entry/Exit System (EES), which became operational on October 12, 2025, is gradually replacing passport stamps with a digital record of entries and exits for non-EU nationals traveling for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

The system registers each crossing at the external borders of participating countries and is being phased in through April 10, 2026. The European Commission said that the system is designed to track overstays and detect identity fraud by recording biometric data.