|
Netherlands |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Aliens Circular was amended to specify that a foreigner can be detained for a short period to investigate the person’s identity and their lawful status in the country. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Slovakia |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Slovakia established a new quality assurance mechanism for the asylum procedure, to be carried out every 6 months or on an ad hoc basis. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Lithuania |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
Training on working with unaccompanied minors was offered to reception centre staff. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Sweden |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Information provision on the asylum procedure |
The Swedish Migration Agency expanded its services in 11 new locations, where employees informed applicants about procedures and regulations, and supported them in navigating the agency’s website. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Sweden |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
Since 1 January 2019, Sweden does not recognise the validity of child marriages from abroad, so the agency updated its standards for handling cases related to married child applicants and developed relevant information material in collaboration with the National Board of Health and Welfare. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Norway |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The authorities in Norway launched the website, Asylbarn, dedicated specifically for children in the asylum procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Access to information |
Fedasil launched a multi-lingual information platform for applicants for international protection, www.fedasilinfo.be, accessible only from Belgium and available in 12 languages. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A survey commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior in 2018 was finalised, examining the asylum procedure as a whole (including the practices of the administrative courts) and cooperation between the different authorities. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
France |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
Three new centres for DRAPs (dispositifs de préparation de l’aide au retour) were opened. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
Fedasil made improvements to the arrival path in the temporary arrival centre in Brussels, rendering registration and lodging procedures quicker and more efficient. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
France |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Interviewing practices were adjusted so the presence of only one lawyer or representative of an accredited association is authorised, and trainee lawyers and interns are prohibited from accompanying their supervisor. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Lithuania |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The “Description of the Procedure for Accommodation of Asylum Applicants” clarified that costs exceeding the rates defined in the document might be covered by funds from international organisations, the European Union, non-governmental organisations or private entities. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration announced the recruitment of 700 new staff for the CGRS, the Immigration Office and Fedasil and published a vacancy notice in June 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees monitored throughout 2021 the implementation of amendments from 2020 related to the representation of unaccompanied minors in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Immigration Service suspended the pronouncement of negative decisions on removals to Afghanistan on 9 July 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Norway |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Directorate for Integration and Diversity, in cooperation with municipalities, carried out for the first time a survey on the experiences of participants in the introduction programme. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
France |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior published an action plan to strengthen support for applicants and beneficiaries of international protection with vulnerabilities. The plan lists 10 action points for improved identification and support for special needs. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Swedish Migration Agency published its legal position on the derivative status in asylum cases. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Iceland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The country acceded to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness, and the Directorate of Immigration adopted a Standard Operation Procedure, developed in cooperation with UNHCR. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on interviewing children. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Specific implementation guidelines to improve the quality of first instance decisions were sent to police headquarters (questure) and Territorial Commissions by the National Commission for the Right to Asylum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Interpretation services |
The Tulppaani project developed a quality control model for interpretation during asylum interviews, using peer-to-peer review, random checks and new guidelines for interpreters. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Asylum authorities considered that there was no need to provide the personal interview if the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs had proof to grant refugee status. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Ireland |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Applicants living in reception centres became entitled to the Pandemic Unemployment Payment. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A standard form was optimised to submit a subsequent application to further streamline the process. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |