Asylum seekers in EU
Monday, December 21st, 2009
The EU granted protection to 76,300 asylum seekers in 2008, according to statistics issued by the European Commission.
The largest group of beneficiaries of protection was Iraqis (16,600 people or 22 per cent of the total), followed by Somalis (9,500 or 12 per cent), Russians (7,400 or 10 per cent), Afghans (5,000 or seven per cent) and Eritreans (4,600 or six per cent). Nearly 30 per cent of asylum seekers were given a favorable decision the first time round.
Of the 76,300 people who were granted protection status, 40,000 were granted refugee status, 25,500 subsidiary protection and 10,800 were allowed to stay on humanitarian grounds. Two thirds of all grants of protection status were in France (11,500), followed by Germany (10,700), the UK (10,200), Italy (9,700), Sweden (8,700), the Netherlands (6,100) and Austria (5,700).

