|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The amendment of the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens allows the PBGB to request assistance from EASO and to be involved in the processing of an asylum application in the territory of another state, based on an international agreement or an EU act. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The first Estonian Language Houses opened in Tallin and Narva in 2019, offering language courses and facilitating integration. The Welcome Centre in Tartu, Estonia opened to provide information and guidance for all newcomers. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The criteria for the risk of absconding when a return decision is issued were clarified. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The administrative court may order an applicant's detention without the descriptive and reasoning part when it is faced with a high number of detention requests. These parts are provided to the applicant if the detention decision is contested. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The new Victim Support Act entered into force, which aims to further improve the availability and quality of victim support services, for example for victims of human trafficking. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The PBGB may now publish the application number and the title of the decision on its website and do not notify the decision in another manner when the applicant's location is unknown or when there is an emergency situation. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
Amendments were made to the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens. In a state of emergency, border guards are allowed to return persons entering in an unauthorised manner without an individual decision. Applications for international protection can be submitted only at designated locations. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
The Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens was amended allowing to extend the registration time limit to 10 working days exceptionally in emergency situations. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board started to issue “three in one” decisions combining a negative decision on an asylum application, a return decision and a decision to impose a prohibition to entry. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Compliance with a return decision issued to a minor or an adult foreigner with limited active legal capacity will be organised by a parent, guardian or other responsible adult person who is staying with the person in Estonia. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens was amended to include the conditions and timeframes for detaining applicants in an emergency situation caused by mass arrivals. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Federal Council modified the assessment for fitness to travel of persons who are returned or expelled. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Federal Council adopted its opinion on a report by the Political Institutions Committee of the Council of States concerning a parliamentary initiative on granting the same family reunification regimes to beneficiaries of international protection and persons with temporary admission. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
A draft amendment would allow persons with temporary admission to change their assigned canton if they follow a long-term vocational training or are employed in another canton |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) decided that the granting of free legal advice should also apply to persons who file an asylum application from detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Amendments to the Swiss Federal Act on Foreigners and Integration were adopted, imposing a general travel ban on persons with temporary admission as of 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
An amendment from 2018 to the Asylum Act entered into force on 1 April 2020, which enables the State Secretariat for Migration to pronounce a general travel ban for a group of refugees from a certain country of origin (particularly to neighbouring countries of that country of origin), if there is a well-founded doubt that the travel ban to the country of origin is not respected. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) started to assign some applicants for international protection to cantons at an earlier stage to alleviate overcrowding in federal reception centres. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Institutional |
|
Content of protection |
The Federal Council approved financial support for integration measures, including contributions to cantonal programmes which promote employment. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
Resettled refugees were temporarily hosted in cantonal reception facilities due to a lack of accommodation in Swiss federal reception centres. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A draft amendment would explicitly include that applicants are under a general travel ban and they could only travel if this is necessary for the asylum procedure or for their removal. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Switzerland launched a pilot programme for the employment integration of refugees and persons with temporary admission and concluded subsidy contracts with 14 cantons. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
A draft amendment to the Asylum Act would allow the State Secretariat for Migration to access and analyse data from applicants' mobile phones, in order to verify their identity, with full respect of the principle of necessity and proportionality, and in compliance with the right to respect for private and family life. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Federal Council announced that it will not create a legal basis in the Law for Foreigners and Integration for the introduction of electronic bracelets as an alternative to administrative detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Switzerland introduced specific policies for the vaccination of asylum applicants, specifying that vaccines are free of charge, on a voluntary basis and by registration to receive an appointment |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |