|
Sweden |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
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 |
|
Germany |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Adult applicants without children are required to live in an initial reception centre for a maximum period of 18 months (federal states may decide to extend this period to 24 months). The previous law defined a 6-month maximum period. |
DE LEG 03 2019 |
|
Greece |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Joint Decision on the implementation of exceptional border procedures. |
EL LEG 03 2019 |
|
Lithuania |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Migration Department may take joint decisions on asylum applicants of the same family (previously they were always taken jointly), provided that a joint decision does not disclose personal circumstances of an applicant which could pose a threat to best interests. |
LT LEG 01 2019 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
An amendment to the Immigration Act further clarified decision-making competences in issuing an order to leave the territory. |
BE LEG 03 2019 |
|
Estonia |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
A proposition was presented to amend the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens by updating the national list of safe countries of origin at least once a year. The duty to notify the European Commission lies with the Ministry of the Interior. |
EE LEG 01 2019 |
|
France |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
An order defined the operating rules for emergency reception centres. |
FR LEG 12 2019 |
|
Lithuania |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
A newly-built dormitory opened for a maximum of 15 vulnerable persons at the Foreigners’ Registration Centre of the State Border Guard Service. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Sweden |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
In preparation for the entry into force of the UN CRC Act (2018:1197) on 1 January 2020, the Swedish Migration Agency developed guidelines on assessing the best interests of the child in accordance with Article 3 of the UN CRC, trained around 500 case officers and 40 head of units in children's rights, and developed a technical tool supporting the determination of the best interests of the child. It also developed new guidelines on the placement of unaccompanied minor applicants assigned to a municipality. Information on the asylum procedure was developed specially for children aged 7 to 12 years, available through a mobile application. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
United Kingdom |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
New guidance provided instructions to caseworkers when an asylum seeker reports an incident of domestic abuse while the application is being assessed. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The CGRS continued training protection officers and supervisors who were joining the minors team, and informative sessions were organised to all new protection officers. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The AMIF-funded Competent Representative (Osaava edustaja) project was launched, developing online training for representatives of unaccompanied minors. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
France |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Withdrawal cards have been replaced by payment cards, on which the asylum applicant receives at the beginning of each month the allowance entitlement. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
The CGRS in Belgium continued to give refugee status to minor girls with a well-founded fear of persecution due to female genital mutilation, but parents were no longer granted derived refugee status automatically and needed to submit a separate request for regularisation. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Country of origin information |
The SOPU project was launched to develop a new reporting model on country of origin information. In addition, the FAKTA project continued to develop a more resource-efficient model for planning and implementing fact-finding missions. Development on the new COI database continued. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Lithuania |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Access to information |
The Refugee Reception Centre launched lectures for refugees and asylum applicants on the differences in status, rights and responsibilities, as well as general information on Lithuania (history, geography, education labour law, domestic violence, medical services, etc). With the use of new technologies, the Rukla Refugee Reception Centre also provided similar information through its new Facebook social network account. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Netherlands |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
An amendment to the Aliens Circular (Vc) established a new procedure regarding lodging and assessing subsequent asylum applications. |
NL LEG 03 2019 |
|
Switzerland |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The provisions concerning the new accelerated asylum procedures entered into force on 1 March 2019, following the adoption of the new Asylum Law in September 2015, the national referendum in June 2016 and the pilot projects carried out in Zurich, Boudry and Giffers. |
CH LEG 01 2019 |
|
Luxembourg |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Content of protection |
The Department of Integration was created within the Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Germany |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Authorities will no longer announce the planned date for forced removal following the expiry of the date for voluntary return. Information about the circumstances of a particular removal is now considered to be secret and sharing such information or instigating or abetting the sharing of such information is punishable under criminal law. |
DE LEG 03 2019 |
|
Germany |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The act introduced the tolerated status related to employment (Beschäftigungsduldung) for persons who can cover their own living costs and are well integrated. The criteria include: at least of 12 months of tolerated status (Vorduldung), clear identity, in employment for at least 18 months working at least 35 hours a week, stable livelihood and sufficient language knowledge. |
DE LEG 06 2019 |
|
Italy |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
New Inter-ministerial Decree defined a list of safe countries of origin. |
IT LEG 03 2019 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Country of origin information |
Sri Lanka was removed from the list of countries considered to be safe countries of origin due to the reintroduction of capital punishment. |
AT LEG 06 2019 |
|
Czech Republic |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
A new alternative to detention was approved, involving stays at a designated residence with regular checks. |
CZ LEG 01 2019 |
|
France |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
An order provided specifications for collective reception centres. |
FR LEG 09 2019 |