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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 Ordina in modo discendente Thematic area Development Source
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Amendments to the Swiss Federal Act on Foreigners and Integration were adopted, imposing a general travel ban on persons with temporary admission as of 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative amendments proposed to deport foreigners who are sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence, regardless of the duration of their stay in the country. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The IND amended its policy on Sudan and previously-granted asylum permits will be reassessed if the permit was granted due to the situation in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The German parliament adopted a bill allowing for the Federal Administrative Court to decide also on the general asylum situation as it pertains to the situation in the country of origin or destination. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Portugal Flag Portugal 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A provisional regularisation process was launched in Portugal, settling the situation of around 365,000 foreigners, including asylum applicants. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A National Registry for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors was created to track the situation and adapt policies, decision-making, reception and other services accordingly. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment from 2018 to the Asylum Act entered into force on 1 April 2020, which enables the State Secretariat for Migration to pronounce a general travel ban for a group of refugees from a certain country of origin (particularly to neighbouring countries of that country of origin), if there is a well-founded doubt that the travel ban to the country of origin is not respected. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The concept for a new reception and accommodation model (the idea of creating a new model) was approved in Lithuania, and the Ministry of the Interior started the preparations for the necessary legislation. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Applications from return facilities (CPR, centro di permanenza per il rimpatrio) and safe countries of origin are assessed within the accelerated procedure. Applications from a safe country of origin will follow the 9-day procedure, while a new ground for the 5-day procedure was established for applicants convicted of serious crimes. The 18-day procedure was revoked. 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
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative Decree No 130/2020 opened labour market access to beneficiaries of national forms of protection based on medical reasons or due to natural disasters. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was revised. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A draft law would amend the Law on international protection and temporary protection by extending the group of officers of the Grand Ducal Police authorised to carry out checks required in the context of the submission of an application for international protection. It is proposed to confer this power to all members of the Grand Ducal Police, whereas at present, this task is exclusively reserved for members of the judicial police service. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Germany Flag Germany 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A draft law introduces the additional preparatory detention (Erg?nzende Vorbereitungshaft) for persons awaiting removal, if they pose a serious risk to others' lives or for significant interests of internal security. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The police director may issue a detention order upon the Asylum Service's prior notice. A judicial review is undertaken for the prolongation of the detention order but not for the initial order. The maximum initial detention period was extended from 45 days to 50 days and the total maximum detention period was extended from 3 months to 18 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Paragraph 8a was added under Asylum Law, Article 32/Y to clarify circumstances when the procedure to enforce a financial claim - which arose during the asylum procedure - ceases. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Following amendments, the Law on Asylum and Refugees clearly states that state authorities have an obligation to ensure asylym applicants' access to legal aid. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Danish Immigration Service took over some responsibilities of the registration process from the police. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Finland Flag Finland 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A working group has been set up to draw up a new act to assist victims of human trafficking. The working group's mandate runs until the end of 2022. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Law on Social Inclusion Income (REVIS) entered into force on 1 January 2019. All beneficiaries of international protection and their family members aged 25 or older can benefit from the social inclusion income. LU LEG 04 2019
Spain Flag Spain 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The instruction granted the right to work for working-age unaccompanied minors. ES LEG 02 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Custody when preparing for a removal (Vorbereitungshaft) was extended for persons who are considered to be a threat to public security. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The amended law underlined that authorities are obliged to ensure that minors have access to education and care services in a federal state. DE LEG 05 2019