Between January and November 2022, almost 130 000 attempted irregular border crossings have been reported by Frontex at the EU external borders on all Western Balkan routes, three times higher than in the same period in 2021. Arrivals are the result of two intersecting flows, with visa-free arrivals in the Western Balkans, travelling onwards to the EU as well as flows of migrants passing through the region irregularly after having followed the Eastern Mediterranean route.