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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 Sort descending Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Austria Flag Austria 2022 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The police in Austria changed the registration system by internal decree for applicants arriving at the border with Hungary. Unaccompanied minors, families and other vulnerable persons continued to be handled in the regular scheme, while other applicants were registered and finger-printed right at the border. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU, Bundesagentur fuer Betreuungs- und Unterstuetzungsleistungen GmbH) started its activities on 1 December 2020 related to the provision of material reception conditions. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection New rules on orientation courses entered into force, including the extension of the obligatory orientation course from 1 to 3 days and the inclusion of modules on gender equality, antisemitism and the importance of voluntary work. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The new Section V (Immigration) was established within the Federal Ministry of the Interior after an organisational restructuring. The new section brings together resources and knowledge on affairs related to asylum and immigration, including border control, Aliens Police, reception, residency, citizenship and return. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2021 Institutional Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The new Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU, Bundesagentur für Betreuungs- und Unterstützungsleistungen GmbH) started its activities related to legal advice and representation, translation and interpretation services, advice and counselling on returns and human rights monitoring on 1 January 2021. All legal advisors received specialised training on quality assurance. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The responsibility for return counselling and return assistance was shifted to the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services as of 1 January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Austria continued to focus on the labour market integration of beneficiaries of international protection, organised targeted employment fairs and mentoring programmes specifically tailored to migrant women. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment to the Integration Act requires the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs to provide German courses to a minimum B1 level to beneficiaries of international protection older than 15 years. AT LEG 04 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The length of the obligatory orientation course for beneficiaries of international protection was extended from 8 to 24 hours to include modules on gender equality, antisemitism and the importance of voluntary work. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The federal government and the provinces concluded an agreement to harmonise the child and youth welfare system in general, defining the responsibilities of the provinces in providing care and support to unaccompanied minors. AT LEG 01 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure In cooperation with UNHCR and the IOM, the Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) organised regularly training sessions for its staff on identifying special needs and vulnerabilities, interviewing applicants with special needs, and tailoring approaches to specific groups, such as women, children, LGBTIQ applicants and survivors of trafficking in the asylum procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Institutional Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A new Department for Return and Reintegration (V/10) was established as part of Section V in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The number of withdrawals initiated by the BFA continued to increase. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Both chambers of the administrative court started deciding on asylum cases and more staff was recruited. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Ukraine was removed from the list of safe countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The BFA Procedures Law and the Asylum Law were temporarily amended until 31 December 2020, so that unaccompanied minors can be transferred directly to a regional directorate or field office to launch an asylum application, without passing through a first reception centre. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Country of origin information Country of origin information Namibia, the Republic of Korea and Uruguay were added to the list of countries considered to be safe countries of origin. AT LEG 05 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The UK and Northern Ireland were added to the list of safe countries of origin. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Asyl-Train project implemented by IOM Austria continued in 2019 and provided training to relevant national authorities and service providers to help identify trafficked persons in the framework of the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The act establishes the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services. AT LEG 02 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice established a Commission on the Best Interests of the Child in February 2021, tasked to review the legal framework and practices related to children in the asylum procedure. The Federal Ministry of the Interior conducted an internal review as well, concluding that many of the recommendations were already being applied or were on the way to implementation, and suggesting new measures. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Withdrawal procedures remained a priority for the BFA. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Austria's new coalition government announced in January 2020 in its programme for the new government (2020-2024) to work on a comprehensive strategy on migration, based on a clear separation of migration and asylum. The programme foresees shortening and modernising asylum procedures. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Financing for people in reception was increased, after the Austrian Federal Parliament approved an amendment to the agreement between the federal state and the provinces. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The scope of the term family was widened. EASO Asylum Report 2021