Against the backdrop of increasingly restrictive migration policies, this study explores recent irregular migration dynamics to the European Union (EU) and the United Kingdom(UK). It aims to understand how migration and smuggling dynamics have shifted since 2023 and the impact of these shifts on people on the move. It also considers the trends and changes that may continue to emerge in the face of increasing migration restrictions in Europe.

The research focuses on key routes into the EU and UK:

The Central Mediterranean Route (CMR) into Italy
The Western Mediterranean and Northwest African (Atlantic) routes into Spain
The English Channel crossings into the UK

Methodology:

The report is based on a combination of desk research and in-depth interviews:

– 43 key informant interviews with civil society members, journalists, experts on smuggling, UN representatives, and enforcement agencies.

– 52 interviews with migrants who travelled to Europe between mid-2023 and the time of the study in 2024.