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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 ascending Thematic area Development Source
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Institutional Country of origin information Country of origin information The COI Unit became part of the newly-established Section for Information Analysis of the Swedish Migration Agency. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Since 1 March 2019, the asylum procedure has been organised into six asylum regions. Each of these regions has a federal asylum centre which conducts the asylum procedure. Supporting divisions remain at the headquarters. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Institutional The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Three teams from the Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration, Third Country Unit in London were transferred to Glasgow under the newly-established Home Office Immigration Enforcement Third Country Unit, taking over responsibility for Dublin out cases. The fourth team remained in London and became the Dublin Cessation Team (DCT). EASO Asylum Report 2020
Germany Flag Germany 2020 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly created a new joint working group on migration, asylum and integration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The reorganisation of the Asylum Service was ongoing, including the asylum administration and the ministry. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Asylum Service established new sectors which are responsible for the reception of applicants for international protection. The implementation and operationalisation of a reception allocation bureau was planned in the First Reception Centre Pournara to collect statistics, follow in- and outflow, and gather information on residences of applicants who are leaving the centre. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Institutional The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The entire staff of the Dublin unit changed and new colleagues received extensive training throughout the year. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Institutional Interpretation services Interpretation services The Finnish Immigration Service was restructured at the end of 2020, and the Legal Services Unit became responsible for assessing interpretation services. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Institutional Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Finnish Immigration Service became entirely responsible for providing guidance on, planning and monitoring the guardianship of unaccompanied children in 2020, and this new arrangement started to be implemented in 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum was reorganised and some services were centralised, and corresponding offices and staff from the Reception and Identification Service (RIS) were transferred to the ministry. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Iceland Flag Iceland 2021 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance According to a new decree, the Ministry of Social Affairs would be mandated to provide reception conditions to applicants and integration services to beneficiaries of international protection, while the Directorate of Immigration (operating under the Ministry of Justice) continues to be responsible for the examination of applications for international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Institutional Country of origin information Country of origin information The Office for Country Information and Language Analysis (Team Onderzoek en Expertise Land en Taal (TOELT)) was divided into two departments, one employing the Country Specialists and Linguists (TOELT 01) and the other employing the Employees of the Regional Information Centres and the Coordinators Interpreters (TOELT 02). EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Spain Flag Spain 2021 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Secretary of State for Migration and the International Protection and Humanitarian Assistance Programmes were reorganised under the same General Directorate, and a new General Sub-Directorate was created for Migratory Analysis. The Executive Commission of the Inter-ministerial Commission of Retributions reorganised tasks between different departments within the Spanish Office of Asylum (Ministry of Home Affairs). A new Sub-Directorate of International Protection and three new heads of department were established. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Efforts to recruit staff for the Immigration Office, CGRS and Fedasil continued throughout 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration announced that it considered plans to merge the Immigration Office, the CGRS and Fedasil. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The German Federal Ministry of the Interior increased its financial support to municipalities which accommodate applicants for international protection and beneficiaries of temporary protection. The federal government also provided federal buildings to municipalities to be used as reception facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A temporary Council of Ministers for Immigrants and Refugees was appointed by proposal of the Prime Minister and approval of the government. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Institutional Content of protection Content of protection The Minister of Education and Children established a steering group on refugee children's issues, which is tasked to monitor the situation of refugee children, provide advice, assess government measures and ensure that measures are aligned with international standards. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Latvia Flag Latvia 2022 Institutional Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs developed new leaflets and piloted a hotline to provide information on the asylum procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Poland Flag Poland 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Department for Refugee Proceedings at the Office for Foreigners was reorganised with more specialised teams to work with specific categories of applicants, such as detained applicants or applicants from specific countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Poland Flag Poland 2022 Institutional Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Team for Coordination of Anti-Trafficking in Human Beings was established as a separate organisational unit reporting to the Deputy Director of the Department for International Affairs and Migration at the Ministry of the Interior and Administration. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Portugal Flag Portugal 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the creation of a new asylum and migration agency. In addition, the Immigration and Border Service (SEF) will be restructured. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Institutional Content of protection Content of protection The Federal Council approved financial support for integration measures, including contributions to cantonal programmes which promote employment. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
France Flag France 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new OFPRA branch office was established in Mayotte for the lodging of applications for international protection in the territory. EUAA Asylum Report 2023