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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 Sort ascending Country Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Norway Flag Norway 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups 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
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment to the Norwegian Social Services Act came into force which requires third-country nationals older than 30 years with insufficient Norwegian knowledge to participate in language training as a condition to receive financial support. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Content of protection 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
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The MOT-system was introduced for reception administration, and it is planned to be further developed in 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection New regulations entered into force on determining the benefits for residents in asylum reception centres. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The Ministry of Justice and Public Security clarified that when a third-country national who already holds a residence permit on other grounds in the country applies for international protection, free legal aid is not automatically granted but it is conditioned by a needs test. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Norwegian parliament passed a bill amending the Social Services Act, which requires third-country nationals older than 30 years with insufficient Norwegian knowledge to participate in language training as a condition to receive financial support. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The arrival centre was re-organised in Norway to include multiply stakeholders within the same centre. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Policy Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure The UDI launched a new website to inform applicants about the current situation in Afghanistan, some also providing a section on frequently asked questions. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Persons granted protection in Norway may obtain a long-term residence permit after 5 years, instead of the previous 3 years, following legislative amendments that entered into force in December 2020. The language knowledge requirement for naturalisation was increased from A2 to B1 level. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The UDI commissioned an assessment of the quality of 150 asylum interviews and decisions in order to use the findings to draft guidelines and policy instructions to case officers who decide on asylum claims. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A legislative proposal for a new Integration Act was introduced, re-shaping the integration programme for refugees. NO LEG 01 2019
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Directorate for Integration and Diversit published a report on municipality expenditure on supporting the integration of refugees. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The UDI provided special guidelines to all reception centres on preparing for school education. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services The Interpretation Act entered into force, obliging public bodies to use a qualified interpreter. It stipulates the requirement of professional conduct, including the duty of confidentiality, by interpreters. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The national budget was revised to employ more experts working with children in reception facilities, following the increasing number of arrivals from Ukraine. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure According to the amended Immigration Regulations, the UDI and UNE are given access to obtain necessary information from the child welfare service for the purpose of case processing. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Guidelines clarified that the Dublin III Regulation did not apply to persons who were granted collective protection (a status similar to temporary protection in the EU framework). 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
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants As of March 2020, standard support assistance may be increased in order to ease the return and reintegration process, for example for returnees with special medical needs or if it is assessed to be more cost-effective for Norwegian society. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The new Integration Act was adopted in Norway and entered into force in January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The IND published new work instructions providing guidelines to implement ECHR, Article 8. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The task force managing the asylum backlog was integrated into the IND. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The COA launched a pilot project in Utrecht for beneficiaries of international protection, where beneficiaries combine studying and apprenticeship in a 2-year programme to become COA employees. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Aliens Circular was amended and clarified that when a child is born after a parent has received a return decision, even though the child is subject to an independent return decision, the period of voluntary return is aligned to the parents' decision and expires at the same time. EASO Asylum Report 2021