|
Romania |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
New standard operating procedures were developed in Romania on the identification, needs assessment, assistance and referral of vulnerable persons. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
The Swedish Migration Agency published three legal positions related to the handling of subsequent applications. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
Negative decisions on Afghan nationals were suspended. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners introduced provisions for a swift judicial review of detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Amendments introduced that all decisions rejecting requests for international protection should include a return provision. If another return or deportation order is already in force, it must be incorporated in the decision rejecting the application and ordering the return. The period of voluntary departure was shortened to 25 days, which may be extended up to 120 days. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Lithuania |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Interpretation services |
Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens stated that, in the event of a declaration of martial law, a state of emergency or an emergency due to a mass influx of foreigners, some rights provided to asylum applicants, including interpretation, may be temporarily and proportionally restricted. However, this article was repealed on 1 January 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovakia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
A draft amendment to the Asylum Act and other related acts was adopted and put to public consultation, defining and regulating the initial integration of beneficiaries of international protection. The amendments are expected to enter into force in June 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Spain |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Organic Law 8/2021 was introduced to clarify the principles of the age assessment procedure, including standards and consent for medical tests, procedures to follow in case the age cannot be established and respect for the child's dignity. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Institutional |
|
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 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A new IT system was launched in the arrival centre in Brussels to document residents in accommodation. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Croatia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior developed standard operating procedures to prevent and address sexual- and gender-based violence in reception centres, in cooperation with UNHCR, Médecins du Monde, the Red Cross and the Croatian Law Centre. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Integration Partnership Programme was launched in November 2020 to establish a nationwide network of integration and social inclusion actors. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Germany |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
BAMF carried out a feasibility study for digital certification processes and digital identity management, publishing a white paper as a first step towards analysing whether certification processes and identities of asylum seekers can be fully digitalised. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Iceland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
Family reunification requests from Afghan residents were treated with priority in 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Three digital platforms were created through an AMIF EMAS project, including a website for asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection, a platform for exchanges between the NAC and Territorial Commissions to harmonise procedures and facilitate communication, and a portal for open data on asylum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
To increase reception capacity, a second temporary reception facility was opened with a capacity of 400 persons and two AMIF-funded projects were ongoing to temporarily increase reception places. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency introduced regular and routine reflective meetings on the quality of asylum procedure, and set up the Quality Control Unit with EUAA support. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
The simplified procedure (Track 2), equivalent to the accelerated procedure, was extended to other categories of applicants. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
New, simplified information material was prepared for illiterate persons and persons who cannot read and write in the Latin alphabet. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Romania |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The new National Strategy on Immigration 2021-2024 was approved, together with the Action Plan to implement the national strategy, with objectives related to making the national asylum system more efficient. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Spain |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
The National Resettlement Programme was approved foreseeing the resettlement of 1,200 refugees in 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Swedish Migration Agency issued a new legal position to clarify that municipalities and regions are entitled to be reimbursed for the care of unaccompanied children from the moment they express their wish to apply for asylum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The French-speaking Brussels Community Commission – the francophone government of Brussels – announced that the city’s integration programme became mandatory on 1 January 2022, and those who fail to comply receive a fine. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Denmark |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Return Act (Hjemrejseloven), the first consolidated law in the field of return, came into force on 1 June 2021. The mandate and responsibilities of the Danish Return Agency are formalised in the act. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |