|
Ireland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
An amendment to the International Protection Act 2015, Section 48(3) to extend the 5-day period for a voluntary return to 30 days has been finalised for inclusion in the General Scheme of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, a government priority bill. This change was implemented in line with recommendations of the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A new legal provision notes that only the International Protection Agency can designate a country as a safe country of origin, and it must be included in the Schedule to the International Protection Act. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovenia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Following amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA), rules were adopted on the procedure for foreigners who wish to apply for international protection and the procedure for accepting applications for international protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Social orientation classes became obligatory in Sweden for all applicants as soon as possible after an application for asylum has been registered. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Institutional |
|
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 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Information provision on the asylum procedure |
The CGRS launched a new website to inform applicants on the asylum procedure and their rights and obligations within the procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Cyprus |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Authorities started working on the development of an overall integrated national reception strategy. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Finnish Immigration Service initiated a new practice which allows applicant children younger than 12 years old to be heard more frequently, ensuring that the bests interests of the child are taken into account effectively and systematically in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Reception and Identification Centres (RICs/K.Y.T.) and Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCAC/ΚΕΔ) were established and operated on the islands. The Reception and Identification Service took several measures to strengthen safeguards and improve conditions within these facilities. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Ireland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Ministry of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth published a white paper on ending "Direct Provision", and replacing it with a new system, called International Protection Support Service, planned to enter into force in December 2024. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A working group was established to better coordinate mechanisms for the identification of and support to applicants with special needs and vulnerabilities. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Cases lodged by Afghan nationals were processed where the need for protection was evident, so only positive decisions were issued, as well as inadmissible and Dublin decisions, while negative decisions were suspended. From the end of January 2022, the examination of these cases resumed, and the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum scheduled applicants for a complementary interview to discuss changes in their situation if the initial interview was done before 15 August 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency (IPA) issued instructions that children between 2 and 10 years could not accompany their parents to the personal interview at the IPA’s premises. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Specific projects continued to address and manage more effectively disruptive behaviour in the reception system. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Poland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Two centres from the Office for Foreigners were lent to the Border Guard due to the need for more capacity in detention. Thus, the capacity in reception facilities temporarily decreased. One of these centres was returned to the Office for Foreigners in mid-June 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovakia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A resolution was adopted to outline the national action plans for combating trafficking in human beings, according to the 2020 recommendations from GRETA. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Swedish Migration Agency adopted legal positions on several issues providing guidance on the calculation of detention times, the validity period of a detention decision and which authority is competent to address detention if there is an enforceable expulsion or expulsion decision and the detainee applies for protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Switzerland launched a pilot programme for the employment integration of refugees and persons with temporary admission and concluded subsidy contracts with 14 cantons. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners introduced new grounds for refusing to grant stateless status. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Greece ratified the EU-Serbia Readmission Agreement and the EU-Montenegro Readmission Agreement. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
A modification to the Asylum Law came into force in July 2021. An appeal against a Dublin transfer decision means an automatic suspension of the transfer until the administrative court takes a final decision within 1 month. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovenia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
Amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA) clarified that applicants awaiting a transfer to another country under the Dublin III Regulation have the same reception rights as other applicants until their transfer. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
Legislative changes to the Aliens Act were introduced allowing the Migration Agency to reject an application as manifestly unfounded when the applicant comes from a country included in the list of safe countries of origin. The decision becomes immediately enforceable with no automatic suspensive effect or the right to remain pending the outcome of an appeal procedure. The agency published a corresponding legal position. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Institutional |
|
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 |