evidence: EU received over 1.1 million asylum applications in 2023 [...] Analysis released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) reveals notable shifts in the asylum landscape within the EU+. In 2023, EU+ countries lodged over 1 140 000 applications for asylum, an increase of 18 % compared to 2022 [...] A natural consequence of higher applications is the increasing number of cases pending a decision at first instance (883 000), which rose by 39 % in 2023. This does not paint a complete picture however, as EU+ countries are also working to provide temporary protection to over 4.4 million Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion. These parallel strands continued to pose significant challenges for EU+ asylum and reception authorities; so much so, that by the end of 2023, the EUAA was providing operational assistance in 13 Member States.