The number of irregular border crossings into the European Union (EU) fell by almost one-third in the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to preliminary data released by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex).

The agency said just over 91,000 irregular crossings were detected between January and September, attributing the decline across most major migration routes to sustained cooperation with partner countries and preventive measures in key departure states.

In September alone, approximately 14,300 crossings were recorded, representing a 28 per cent decrease compared with September 2025, although the figure was 11 per cent higher than in August.

According to Frontex, the period also marked the first full summer under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum, which introduces a standardised screening process at the bloc’s external borders.

Frontex officers are supporting member states with key aspects of the new system, including identifying the nationalities of arrivals, collecting biometric information and verifying travel documents.

Frontex Executive Director Hans Leijtens said fewer people were attempting to reach Europe through most migration routes, although he warned that the situation could change rapidly.

“On most routes into Europe, fewer people are attempting the journey, and that has held through the summer and into the autumn. But things can turn quickly,” Leijtens said.

He cited the Atlantic route towards the Canary Islands, where detections in September were four times higher than in August, warning that human smuggling networks remained active despite the overall decline in crossings.

The Eastern and Central Mediterranean routes remained the busiest corridors, accounting for almost 60 per cent of all irregular entries into the EU during the nine-month period.

The Central Mediterranean recorded the sharpest decline, with crossings falling by 56 per cent, while the Western Mediterranean was the only major route to register an increase, with detections rising by 26 per cent.

On the Eastern Mediterranean route, approximately 31,800 crossings were recorded, representing a 15 per cent decline compared with the same period in 2025.

The corridor from Libya to Crete was the busiest section, followed by the eastern Aegean islands and the land border with Türkiye. Sudanese, Bangladeshi and Afghan nationals were the main nationalities detected.

The Central Mediterranean recorded approximately 22,500 arrivals, down by 56 per cent year-on-year. Libya remained the main departure point, accounting for about three-quarters of crossings along the route, followed by Tunisia and Algeria.

Bangladeshi, Algerian and Somali nationals were the main groups detected on the route.

Meanwhile, the Western Mediterranean recorded around 18,300 crossings, an increase of 26 per cent compared with the first nine months of 2025.

The increase was mainly driven by crossings at land borders, where detections more than doubled, while sea arrivals rose by eight per cent.

Algeria remained the principal departure country for sea crossings, with the Balearic Islands and mainland Spain serving as the main destinations. Algerian, Malian and Moroccan nationals accounted for the largest groups detected.

On the Western African route, approximately 7,100 crossings were recorded, representing a 45 per cent decline.

Frontex attributed the reduction to preventive measures introduced by Mauritania and, more recently, Senegal and The Gambia, in cooperation with Spain and the EU.

However, the agency warned that migration movements along the route remained unpredictable, with detections rising sharply to approximately 1,900 in September, four times the August figure.

Departures were reported from Morocco and The Gambia towards the Canary Islands, while Moroccan, Senegalese and Gambian nationals were the main groups detected.

Attempts to cross the English Channel towards the United Kingdom also declined, falling by 43 per cent to approximately 30,900 during the nine-month period. The figure includes both people who reached the UK and those prevented from departing.

Around 4,500 attempts were recorded in September, with Eritrean, Sudanese and Somali nationals accounting for the main nationalities detected.

Frontex noted that smuggling networks increasingly relied on larger inflatable boats, known as mega dinghies. In August, a record 230 people, including more than 20 children, reportedly reached the UK in a single inflatable boat.

The agency said an agreement signed between the UK and France in April was expected to strengthen patrols along the French coast in the coming months.

Despite the overall decline in irregular crossings, Frontex warned that the human cost of migration remained high.

Citing the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the agency said nearly 2,000 people had died in the Mediterranean so far in 2026, highlighting the dangers faced by migrants travelling in overcrowded and unseaworthy boats.

It added that developments outside the EU’s borders, including the large-scale return of Afghan nationals from Iran and Pakistan and instability across the Sahel, could influence future migration movements towards Europe.

Although these developments had not yet resulted in a significant change in arrivals at the EU’s external borders, Frontex said it was closely monitoring the situation.

The agency added that approximately 3,800 officers were currently deployed at the EU’s external borders to support national authorities in border management and search-and-rescue operations.