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National Asylum Developments Database

 

The National Asylum Developments Database presents legislative, institutional and policy developments related to asylum since 2018.

Searches can be narrowed down by:

  • Country
  • Year
  • Type of development: legislative, institutional or policy 
  • Thematic area: access to procedure, access to information, legal assistance and representation, interpretation services, special procedures, procedures at first instance, reception of applicants for international protection, detention, procedures at second instance, country of origin information, statelessness in the asylum context, content of protection, return of former applicants, resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes.

Details on each development and further analysis can be consulted in the Asylum Report series.
 

Types of policies and practices reported in the National Asylum Developments Database

The National Asylum Developments Database can be searched by institutional, legislative and policy changes. There are three types of policy developments:

Policies and practices related to the integrity of national asylum systems aim to swiftly identify unfounded asylum applications and ensure that financial, human and administrative resources are not dissipated on such claims. These measures involve efforts to rapidly establish an applicant’s identity, including age, country of origin, travel route and security concerns if any. These facts help to better assess the credibility of the applicant’s statements and determine whether beneficiaries of international protection are still in need of protection. The prevention of unintentional misuse of the asylum procedure and its integrity are also supported by the provision of information to asylum applicants and beneficiaries of international protection on their respective rights and obligations and related procedural arrangements.

Policies and practices that improve the efficiency of national asylum systems include digitalisation and the use of new technologies in the framework of asylum, prioritising or fast-tracking applications, the re-organisation of the procedure itself or implementing changes in the number of staff employed.

Policy and practice aiming to enhance the quality of national asylum systems contribute to increasing fairness, integrity and efficiency. Quality assurance systems, guidance materials and capacity-building measures typically pay off on the initial investment and efforts. The initiatives include staff training, revising existing guidance materials and monitoring the quality of the decisions delivered.

The database presents validated factual information and does not imply any endorsement from the European Commission or EUAA.

Flag Country Year Type of development Sort descending Thematic area Development Source
Italy Flag Italy 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Ministry of the Interior signed agreements with UNICEF to monitor reception conditions for unaccompanied children, with Terre des Hommes for psychological and psychosocial assistance from disembarkation to first reception, and with Save the Children for the provision of targeted support to unaccompanied children. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Greek Red Cross for support with the provision of material reception conditions, including health services and psychological support. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A complete IT overhaul was implemented in the reception system. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Administrative Division of the Council of State now uses a new, sixth form of motivation of its decisions. When the court rejects an application, it uses one of the template sentences to provide more context for the ground of the refusal. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The authorities focused on enforcing contracts signed with applicants for their accommodation to ensure that reception spaces are swiftly available. When appointments are not respected or when there are clear indications that the applicant abandoned the asylum procedure, the International Protection Agency considers the application implicitly withdrawn and informs AWAS, which terminates the reception contract. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The National Integration Fund 2020 was launched, with EUR 2.2 million total funding for a 3-year period. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Hotel and Accommodation Regulation (HAR) was adopted to support beneficiaries of international protection moving out of reception. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The list of municipalities where applicants are not entitled to daily allowance was revised, if they choose to reside there. Out of 32 pre-identified municipalities, 23 are such areas. The changes entered into force 1 January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Poland Flag Poland 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Two pilot integration centres were launched in the voivodeships of Opolskie and Wielkopolskie, as the second phase of the AMIF-funded project “Building Structures for the Integration of Foreigners in Poland.” Their tasks include information provision, Polish language courses, orientation, and intercultural, legal and psychological counselling. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Two projects to refurbish reception centres in Zagreb and Kutina have started, co-financed by AMIF. The projects aims to improve living and working conditions in both centres. A new project of procurement of equipment, co-financed by AMIF, has also started. Through the project, new equipment for ambulances and newborn children will be purchased. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Spain Flag Spain 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Home Affair’s Sub-Secretariat instructed the Asylum and Refugee Office to prioritise applications submitted in Ceuta and Melilla due to a high influx of arrivals, as well as the applications for Afghan nationals who were evacuated. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish Migration Agency updated the list of countries whose citizens are eligible for reintegration assistance in cash when returning to these countries from Sweden. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Following a serious incident, applicants in reception may now be placed temporarily in time-out, a separate, sober place within a reception facility where applicants would only be entitled to material reception conditions in kind, not in cash. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Policy Resettlement 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
Finland Flag Finland 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Ministry of the Interior launched an update of the action plan for preventing illegal entry and residence for the period 2021-2024. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The accelerated procedure for specific, predefined potential Dublin cases was revised. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A coordination mechanism was approved to facilitate communication among the authorities and organisations working with unaccompanied and separated children. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
France Flag France 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The CNDA updated its assessment of indiscriminate violence resulting from a situation of armed conflict which prevailed in 12 regions of Somalia. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A Ministerial Decision provided that the prescription of medicines, therapeutic operations and diagnostic examinations for patients without health insurance (many of them beneficiaries of international protection) is possible only by doctors of public hospitals and primary health care structures, not private doctors. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration announced a national project to define the training curriculum of the transcultural mediator in the health sector. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A moratorium on decisions and returns was in introduced for Russian conscripts (men aged 18 to 27), who deserted or refused to perform military service. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Justice and Public Security issued a new instruction “Assessment of the conditions for asylum in the Immigration Act, Section 28(1) when the applicant already has a residence permit in Norway"". EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on Iraq on 1 July 2022, following closely the latest EUAA Country Guidance on Iraq. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The number of reception places was substantially increased. The Minister for Migration announced the creation of 5 000 additional places. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection 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