3.4.3.2. Prioritisation policies

In Czechia, the Organisation for Aid to Refugees (OPU) reported that cases lodged by specific nationalities were decided faster.410 National authorities noted that often this was not the result of a prioritisation policy, but arose rather from the fact that case officers were able to decide more swiftly as there were active conflicts in those countries.

The Finnish Immigration Service prioritised applications from third-country nationals coming from the eastern border that could be processed as manifestly unfounded. In Ireland, the Department of Justice introduced new operating plans so that applicants from countries designated as safe countries of origin will receive decisions within 3 months instead of the current 17-24 months.411  

Prioritisation continued in the Netherlands to manage the high number of applications. The IND adapted its prioritisation policy as the profile of the applicants changed throughout 2023. For example, the prioritisation policy was applied to applicants in the Dublin procedure (Track 1 procedure), applicants from safe countries of origin and applicants who were already recognised in another EU+ country (Track 2 procedure), and applicants from countries with low recognition rates, such as Algeria and Moldova.412