3.4.11. Digitalisation

In 2023, EU+ countries created new information systems or prepared relevant projects to digitalise their systems, while others adjusted the submission of documents by electronic means. The use of AI in migration was also a topic of concern.

Slovenia was in the process of updating and upgrading its information system in the asylum field, while Bulgaria also worked towards digitalising its asylum system by developing a draft concept for establishing a database.449  

In Czechia, the Ministry of the Interior created a new information system, entitled IS AZYL III, which is funded through AMIF, for the registration of applicants and the management of information in the field of international protection. The system allows the exchange of information between the Department of Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of the Interior, the Czech police and the courts.450  

In Ireland, the Minister for Justice published the International Protection Modernisation Programme 2023-2024, which includes recommendations on the development of IT systems, exploring the use of robotic process automation to replace manual data entry tasks, and the wider use of video-conferencing for interviews. In addition, a customer service Chatbot was introduced for international protection queries, freeing internal resources to deal with more complicated customer queries.451  

The CGRS in Belgium adjusted its procedure for the submission of documents as of 1 March 2023. The new procedure enables applicants to submit documents in support of an application for international protection by e-mail.452 Furthermore, the eDossier digitisation and automation project is being developed by the CGRS to process applications.

The Center for Legal Aid-Voice in Bulgaria published an opinion on the use of AI in migration, stating that AIs which are categorised as posing an unacceptable risk should not be used in migration (for example systems to predict and stop irregular migration flows, systems to individually profile and assess migrants, automated lie detectors and AI systems that remotely collect and assess biometric data in public places). AIs posing a high risk should be subjected to increased monitoring (for example border surveillance by drones and facial recognition cameras for the collection and processing of migrants' biometric data, and systems for the assessment of evidence related to migration procedures).453