2 people are sitting at a table. One person is handing the other their papers. There is an application and an EU flag on the table

In 2023, EU countries sent 186 910 outgoing requests to transfer the responsibility to examine an asylum application and effectively implemented 16 869 outgoing transfers to other EU countries. Dublin statistics provide information on the functioning of the Dublin system, which establishes which EU country is responsible for examining an asylum application.

Over the same period, 163 415 incoming requests and 14 414 incoming transfers from other EU countries were recorded.

The largest numbers of outgoing requests using the Dublin procedure were sent by Germany (74 620) and France (48 724), representing 40 % and 26 % of the total number of outgoing requests recorded in 2023. They were followed by Belgium (14 079), Austria (13 558) and the Netherlands (9 955). These 5 EU countries sent 86% of all outgoing requests in 2023.

The largest numbers of outgoing transfers were also reported by Germany (5 049) and France (2 739), followed by the Netherlands (1 807), Cyprus (1 539), Belgium (1 241) and Austria (1 240). Taking a closer look at the data shows that while some countries register a high number of outgoing transfers, their transfer rates (calculated as ratio of actual outgoing transfers to outgoing requests) are not that high, because their number of outgoing requests are much higher. For example, in the 6 EU countries mentioned before, the highest transfer rate was registered in Cyprus, with 74% (1 539 outgoings transfers to 2 067 outgoing requests), while Germany and France registered much lower rates, at 7% and 6%, respectively.

Outgoing ´Dublin´ requests and transfers, number of requests and transfers, 2023. Infographic. See link to full dataset below.

Source datasets:  migr_dubro and migr_dubto

4 EU countries received 57% of the incoming requests 

Italy received the largest number of incoming requests in 2023 (42 468), followed by Bulgaria (18 145), Austria (17 476) and Germany (15 567). These 4 EU countries received 57% of all incoming requests in 2023.

By far the largest numbers of incoming transfers were reported by Germany (4 269 or 30% of the total) and Austria (2 166; 15%), while France (1 682; 12%) and the Netherlands (1 034; 7%) also recorded more than 1 000 incoming transfers. 

Incoming ´Dublin´ requests and transfers, number of requests and transfers, 2023. Infographic. See link to full dataset below.

Source datasets: migr_dubri and migr_dubti

For more information

Methodological notes

  • The Dublin Regulation (EU) 604/2013 aims to reduce consecutive transfers of asylum seekers from one EU country to another and prevent abuse of the system by the submission of several applications for asylum by one person. The main principle is that only one EU country is responsible for examining an asylum application by a citizen of a non-European Union country or by a stateless person. This regulation was repealed on 14 May 2024 by the Regulation (EU) 2024/1351 which will apply from 1 July 2026. Until this period statistics will be collected on the basis of the Regulation (EU) 604/2013 and then, from the reference year 2026, the new Regulation will be used for the reporting. 
  • If during the course of processing of an application, the authorities in an EU country decide that the application should be dealt with in another EU country, the authorities of the former may make a request to the latter to take over the responsibility of the asylum application (and consequently take over the applicant). Accordingly, the so-called 'Dublin' statistics refer to outgoing requests (EU countries report requests sent out) and incoming requests (EU countries report requests received).
  • The number of outgoing requests is not equal to incoming requests at EU level, including transfers requests, due to possible administrative differences resulting from the methods of data compilation, as well as the timing of recording of requests

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