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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
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The Smart Border package was submitted to the parliament, bringing new technological means of processing at the border, concerning specifically the Aliens Act and other relevant legislative provisions. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance An amendment to the Aliens Act extended the time limit to 30 days to submit an appeal against a decision of the Finnish Immigration Service and before the Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Legislative work continued to prepare for an eventual mass influx of migrants, and some amendments were introduced to the Reception Act. The Finnish Immigration Service must draw up a contingency plan for large-scale arrivals and has a central role in organising reception and giving instructions to other actors in this scenario. The amendments entered into force at the beginning of January 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Free legal aid was made available to all applicants for international protection during an interview, not only to vulnerable groups. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation People with a legal training but who are not qualified as public legal counsellors can no longer be assigned as legal assistants to third-country nationals in international protection procedures. Pay differences for legal assistants working on international protection cases were eliminated. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Finland opened consultations on proposed amendments to the Citizenship Act (359/2003) and the Government Decree on Citizenship (293/2013). EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A new circular clarifying the connection between an application for a special protection permit (a national form of protection) and the Dublin procedure was published. It states that an application for special protection should be deemed inadmissible if the applicant has also applied for international protection and is involved in a pending Dublin procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A bill proposed establishing a Fundamental Rights Officer in charge of assessing complaints of fundamental rights violations related to international protection procedures. The officer would refer the complainant to the relevant authorities where applicable. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new classification of laws on international protection, reception and temporary protection was set in a new code through Law No 4939/2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A bill proposed to oblige the Asylum Service to obtain a health care professional’s advice for an applicant’s ability to be interviewed. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Asylum Code codified the time limits for decisions on steps of the international protection procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Presidential Decree No 77/17.11.2022 established Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCACs) on Samos, Kos, Leros, Lesvos and Chios as regional services of the Reception and Identification Service. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure Law No 4960/2022 aims to establish a uniform national guardianship system for unaccompanied migrant children. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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
Hungary Flag Hungary 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The special conditions to submit an asylum application were extended until 31 December 2023. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Iceland revised its list of safe countries of origin and Ukraine was removed from the list. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services A reform of administrative procedures, including asylum procedures, provides for professional interpretation to persons who do not speak Icelandic. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new code of conduct for NGOs carrying out rescues at sea entered into force. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A presidential decree was adopted clarifying that the authorities need to examine the conversion of unaccompanied children’s residence permits on a case-by-case basis when they reach adulthood. Residence permits based on integration can be issued until the age of 21. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The right to appeal directly to the Vilnius Regional Administrative Court and thereafter to the Supreme Administrative Court was reinstated in Lithuania. The preliminary stage of disputing a Migration Department decision before the Migration Department Commission was abolished. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners came into effect, noting that during a state of emergency or an extreme situation due to a mass influx, foreigners may lodge an application for international protection from abroad within consular posts designated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Additional amendments were passed when an application is considered to be lodged under this procedure, when the Border Guard should still accept applications for international protection from persons who have crossed the border in an irregular manner, and circumstances when the application is not accepted. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Latvia Flag Latvia 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Internal Regulation No 23.1-8.2/12 of the State Border Guard entered into force, defining the actions to take if minor children arrive with a detained adult asylum seeker. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Latvia Flag Latvia 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The state of emergency was extended at the Latvian-Belarusian border. Applicants can only submit applications for international protection at official border crossing points or detention facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A new regulation was adopted to consolidate in one legislative piece the tasks of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies related to unaccompanied minors. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The use of quarantine vessels was extended until the end of May 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023