Brussels: Irregular border crossings into the EU fell by almost 40% in the first five months of 2026 compared with a year earlier, according to preliminary data published on Friday by Frontex, the EU's border and coast guard agency. The agency reported around 39,000 crossings during the January-May period.

According to Anadolu Agency, Frontex attributed the decline to cooperation with partner countries and preventive measures in key departure states. This data comes as the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum came into force on Friday, implementing a standardized screening system at the EU's external borders.

Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens stated that the new rules would apply 'the same standard' to all arrivals at EU borders, emphasizing that the pact aims to unify '27 different ways of doing things.' The agency highlighted that the Central and Eastern Mediterranean routes remained the busiest, while the Western African route experienced the steepest decline, dropping by 71%.

The agency also noted a 46% increase in crossings via the Western Mediterranean, primarily due to departures from Algeria. Furthermore, Frontex reported that nearly 1,300 people have died in the Mediterranean so far this year, according to the International Organization for Migration.