Travel restrictions continue to impact the number of asylum applications in the EU+
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Analysis released today by the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) indicates that i
n November 2020, applications for international protection in the EU+ continued at roughly two thirds of pre-COVID-19 levels. Despite efforts of national asylum authorities to adapt and ensure that applications can be lodged, ongoing restrictions on travel and mobility limit the ability of asylum seekers to reach the EU+ and seek international protection. For example, probably because of COVID-19 travel restrictions and despite visa-free access to the Schengen area, Colombians and Venezuelans lodged far fewer applications compared to before the pandemic. At the same time, an increasing proportion of applications are being re-submitted in the same receiving country.