4.1.2.2. Impact of increasing number of applications for international protection
The majority of EU+ countries were faced with an increasing number of applications for international protection. In addition, they also had to find solutions to register persons in need of temporary protection. These events led to several adjustments in registration and lodging procedures, aiming to facilitate and accelerate the process. Nonetheless, delays persisted in many countries, often delaying access to material reception conditions (see Section 4.7).
Due to the extraordinary and disproportionately high number of asylum applications at the border between Austria and Hungary, the police in Austria changed the registration system. Unaccompanied minors, families and other vulnerable persons continued to be handled in the regular scheme. Other applicants were registered and finger-printed at the border. In case of a Eurodac hit, these applicants were transferred to the first reception centres. For others, the Regional Police Directorates in the provinces were then responsible for conducting the first interviews. Applicants were provided with temporary accommodation during this period.For comments, see: AIDA Austria. (2023). Country Report: Austria - 2022 Update. Edited by ECRE. Written by Asylkoordination Österreich. https://asylumineurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/AIDA-AT_2022-Upda…
An important improvement evolved in access to the procedure in Bulgaria for ‘self-reporting asylum seekers’ who entered Bulgaria undetected by the police. As of 2022, these third-country nationals can appear on their own directly at a reception centre of the State Agency for Refugees and apply for protection, while in the past they would be directed to the police where they would be subject to detention.AIDA Bulgaria. (2023). Country Report: Bulgaria - 2022 Update. Edited by ECRE. Written by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee. https://asylumineurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/AIDA-BG_2022updat…
In October 2022, France established a new branch office of the Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) in Mayotte to lodge applications for international protection.French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons | Office français de protection des réfugiés et apatrides. (2022, October 24). Ouverture d'une antenne à Mayotte [Opening of a new branch in Mayotte]. https://www.ofpra.gouv.fr/actualites/ouverture-dune-antenne-a-mayotte; Décret n° 2022-211 du 18 février 2022 portant adaptation de certaines dispositions relatives aux modalités de traitement des demandes d'asile à Mayotte et rectifiant les dispositions applicables en Guadeloupe, en Guyane et à la Martinique, NOR: INTV2135324D [Decree No 2022-211 of 18 February 2022 adapting certain provisions relating to the processing of asylum applications in Mayotte and correcting the provisions applicable in Guadeloupe, French Guiana and Martinique, NOR : INTV2135324D], February 18, 2022. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/jorf/id/JORFTEXT000045190773
In November 2022, the French Council of State dismissed a request for urgent interim measures concerning 234 persons disembarked from the ship Ocean Viking in Toulon. The council judged that the disembarkation process happened according to the law, civil society organisations had access to a designated temporary waiting zone after a few hours, OFPRA swiftly conducted interviews and 66 asylum applicants were allowed to enter the French territory, and the judiciary annulled detention for the majority of people. Forum Refugiés-Cosi provided their overview of the events and noted some elements in the process which, in their view, would require more clarity in the future, especially in the relocation of applicants to other Member States.Forum réfugiés. (2022, December 16). Comment s’organise la relocalisation vers d’autres pays européens des passagers de l’Ocean Viking accueillis en France? [How is the relocation of Ocean Viking passengers from France towards other European countries organised?]. https://www.forumrefugies.org/s-informer/publications/articles-d-actual…
In the Netherlands, authorities introduced measures to continue processing cases despite significant challenges in reception capacity. This resulted in the timely registration of applications, even though applicants had to remain in emergency or crisis reception facilities.Government | Rijksoverheid. (2022, November 4). Extra maatregelen voor hoger aantal verwachte asielaanvragen [Additional measures for higher number of expected asylum applications]. https://www.rijksoverheid.nl/onderwerpen/asielbeleid/nieuws/2022/11/04/… Afghans arriving in the Netherlands through evacuation processes were quickly registered and given access to the asylum procedure.Immigration and Naturalisation Service | Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst. (2022, March 1). The new group of Afghans will also get an accelerated asylum process. https://ind.nl/en/news/the-new-group-of-afghans-will-also-get-an-accele… Family members joining relatives who were recognised as beneficiaries of international protection and did not require accommodation were registered (by appointment) in Zevenaar since December 2021, thus alleviating pressure on registration capacity in Ter Apel.Immigration and Naturalisation Service | Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst. (2022, February 18). First results of the pilot with joining family members in Zevenaar successful. https://ind.nl/en/news/first-results-of-the-pilot-with-joining-family-m…
In order to streamline the procedure, Slovenia adopted amendments to the rules on the procedure for foreigners who wish to apply for international protection and on the procedure for accepting applications for international protection, which came into force in October 2022. The amended rules include the obligation to inform a foreigner about the possibility of applying for international protection when there is an indication of such a need, and the written statement on the reasons for applying for international protection is no longer required in the preliminary procedure.Pravilnik o spremembah in dopolnitvi Pravilnika o postopku s tujcem, ki izrazi namen podati prošnjo za mednarodno zaščito v Republiki Sloveniji, ter postopku sprejema prošnje za mednarodno zaščito [Rulebook on amendments and additions to the Rulebook on the procedure with a foreigner who expresses the intention to submit an application for international protection in the Republic of Slovenia, and the procedure for accepting an application for international protection], October 11, 2022. https://www.uradni-list.si/glasilo-uradni-list-rs/vsebina/2022-01-3098?…
On 19 January 2022, the Brussels first instance tribunal ordered the Belgian state to end the impossibility for applicants to register their application for international protection and stated that Fedasil should have foreseen appropriate structures to accommodate an increasing number of applicants (see Section 4.7). Minors, families with children and particularly vulnerable applicants were given priority and allowed to enter in order to apply for asylum and receive a reception place. Many of the single men were refused access to the asylum procedure and requested to return on an unspecified date.AIDA Belgium. (2023). Country Report: Belgium - 2022 Update. Edited by ECRE. Written by the Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen. https://asylumineurope.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AIDA-BE_2022updat… At the end of 2022, civil society organisations estimated that there were 3,000 persons who had not been offered reception.Flemish Refugee Action | Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen. (2022, December 22). Winterellende [Winter misery]. https://vluchtelingenwerk.be/nieuws/winterellende;
The ECtHR indicated interim measures in five cases throughout 2022, concerning approximately 600 persons, and ordered Belgium to provide material reception conditions to these applicants. As the particular issue of delays in accessing registration was not raised, the court did not address these delays.Council of Europe, European Court of Human Rights. (2022, December 16). Court decides requests for interim measures from homeless asylum-seekers in Belgium. https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/fre-press#{%22itemid%22:[%22003-7525712-10331596%22]} By 31 January 2023, the court had taken 1,132 interim measures concerning 1,133 asylum seekers.Belgian Chamber of Representatives | Belgische Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordig | Chambre des représentants de Belgique. (2023, March 1). Compte rendu intégral avec compte rendu analytique traduit [Full report with translated summary record]. https://www.dekamer.be/doc/CCRI/pdf/55/ic1010.pdf In order to alleviate the pressure on the arrival centre, the registration process was reorganised and applicants were required to report again directly to the Immigration Office in the Pacheco building instead of the arrival centre.Immigration Office | Dienst Vreemdelingenzaken | Office des étrangers. (2022, August 26). Registration of an application for International Protection. https://dofi.ibz.be/en/news/registration-application-international-prot… Efforts to recruit staff continued in general, including registration staff. While ensuring adequate reception for applicants remained a salient issue throughout 2022 and the beginning of 2023, by the end of 2022, the Immigration Office managed to register all applicants on the day of requesting international protection.
The Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) expressed alarm at the delays in accessing the asylum procedure after people declared that they are seeking international protection.Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland. Statement on Access to the Asylum Procedure. https://www.masi.ie/2022/02/15/statement-on-access-to-the-asylum-proced… This situation persisted for a number of months, and the Irish Refugee Council called for clarity and action on the registration of applications for international protection.Irish Refugee Council. (2022, April 8). Press Release: Irish Refugee Council calls for clarity and action on the registration of asylum applications. https://www.irishrefugeecouncil.ie/press-release-irish-refugee-council-… In an effort to speed up procedures, Irish authorities, with assistance from UNHCR, took steps to shorten the initial questionnaire and simplified the language to make the process more accessible in 2021. The initial questionnaire could also be submitted electronically, and further action was being taken to translate the document into additional languages. At the end of 2022, a new procedure was introduced to accelerate the application process. Applicants in reception complete a preliminary interview, an application for international protection and a new questionnaire with the help of interpreters and cultural mediators.International Protection Office | An Oifig Um Chosaint Idirnáisiúnta. (2022, November 11). Applications for International Protection. http://ipo.gov.ie/en/IPO/Pages/IPO_Questionnaire_IPO_2
Several Italian civil society organisations reported on persisting barriers in accessing the asylum procedure in various territories of the country.Volontariato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo, Comitato per la promozione e protezione dei diritti umani, Don Bosco 2000, Salesiani per il Sociale, & Forum Per cambiare l'ordine delle cose. (2023). Input to the Asylum Report 2023. https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-02/vis_comitato_promozi…; Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration | Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull'Immigrazione (2022, July 25). Diritto di asilo ostacolato e sanzioni alle persone in coda in Questura a Milano [Right to asylum obstructed and sanctions to people queueing at police headquarters in Milan]. https://www.asgi.it/notizie/diritto-di-asilo-ostacolato-e-sanzioni-alle…; Open Migration. (2022, July 18). La difficile situazione dell’accoglienza di Ancona [The difficult reception situation in Ancona]. https://openmigration.org/analisi/la-difficile-situazione-dellaccoglien… In some cases, it was observed that applicants had to wait several weeks before they could register their application.Association for Juridical Studies on Immigration | Associazione per gli Studi Giuridici sull'Immigrazione. Impossibile chiedere asilo [It's impossible to ask for asylum]. https://www.asgi.it/asilo-e-protezione-internazionale/impossibile-chied… The Tribunal of Rome ordered the Questura to register the application of an applicant who was refused access to the premises and was told for several days to return the following day as the daily capacity for registrations had been reached.
