3.4.3.1. New working methods

Romania amended legislation in May 2023 to allow for the participation of EUAA experts in the registration and analysis of the claims made in an asylum application.405  

In Belgium, the CGRS launched the testing of new working methods between September 2023 and January 2024 in the pilot project “Tabula Rasa” with the purpose to maximise the number of decisions. Among several measures, it includes shortening the reasoning of decisions and the use of preliminary questionnaires to be completed in writing before the personal interview (see Section 3.4.4).406 The CGRS also expanded the electronic exchange of documents between first instance and second instance bodies in June-July 2023.

The credibility assessment framework was under review in the Netherlands and measures relating to group policies were under development.407 In addition, The Dutch National Coordinator for Security and Counterterrorism (NCTV) undertook a system check of the different organisations which cooperate in security and migration issues. The evaluation found that processes were sufficient, but improvements could be made. Following these results, the IND planned to make changes on two points. Clearer instructions would be drafted for searching the Internet, including social media, during the standard screening in asylum and family reunification processes. And an agreement would be made to guarantee minimal search enquiries. These changes aim to improve the investigation of open sources during the screening. The IND will also adapt its processes to ensure that a more extensive open-source investigation is undertaken by specialist employees when there are signs that the applicant may be a possible danger to national security. The case can be reported to the General Intelligence and Security Service (AIVD) only after this investigation. The aim of this change is to ensure that both the IND and the AIVD have the most complete picture possible when dealing with such cases. In addition, the IND continued to work on improving the quality of investigations into threats to national security when carrying out the asylum and family reunification screening processes.408  

ECRE input on Bulgaria welcomed the fact that the SAR made its internal guidelines available to the public for the first time in 2023.409