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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 Sort descending Thematic area Development Source
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure An amendment entered into force which added new criteria for compulsory confinement of third country nationals under the Aliens Policing Procedure. HU LEG 03 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The act establishes the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services. AT LEG 02 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The non-refoulement check within the return decision procedure was simplified. The check is no longer required for persons from safe countries of origin, unless the person states that in his/her specific case there are concerns about his/her safety in case of return. CZ LEG 01 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The order defined the state’s financial contribution to the départements for accommodating and assessing the health of applicants claiming to be unaccompanied minors. FR LEG 05 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The financial allowance rates were adjusted. Single applicants receive EUR 354 (from EUR 344 previously). A couple in the same accommodation receives EUR 310 (from EUR 318 previously). An applicant accommodated in a reception centre receives EUR 310 and Young people between 14 and 17 years and adults under 25 years living with their parents are entitled to EUR 275. DE LEG 02 2019
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Amendments entered into force allowing the Head of the Asylum Office to issue a deportation or removal order jointly with a negative decision when deciding on an application for international protection. Both decisions, which are no longer separate administrative acts, can be challenged before the International Protection Administrative Court and the suspensive effect may be automatic. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
France Flag France 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Penal sanctions apply to people who refuse to comply with health requirements which are required for an automatic enforcement of an expulsion measure. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Latvia Flag Latvia 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Asylum Law and several corresponding laws were amended related to documents certifying an applicant’s status. These modifications aim to facilitate an applicant’s access to health care, education and employment. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The initial interview was dropped (combined with the application interview). During the application interview, applicants are for a brief statement on the reasons for seeking asylum. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Following amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA), two new decrees were adopted on an applicant’s reception rights and accommodations for unaccompanied children, as well as a decree on house rules of the asylum centre. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Legislative Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions A number of amendments to the regulatory framework concerning resettlement were adopted to enable greater flexibility in acute situations, such as the Afghanistan situation. According to a government decision, the requirement that a person must be in a third country to be eligible for resettlement was temporarily removed. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The government adopted amendments to the ordinance regulating coordination between the asylum and police (border and immigration) administrations when implementing the Dublin III Regulation. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The Aliens Circular was amended to reflect CJEU jurisprudence in Jawo and clarified when an applicant can be considered to have absconded. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Finland Flag Finland 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Minors who have received international protection became exempted from the requirement of having sufficient financial resources for family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The new Integration Act was adopted in Norway and entered into force in January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A draft amendment to the Asylum Act would allow the State Secretariat for Migration to access and analyse data from applicants' mobile phones, in order to verify their identity, with full respect of the principle of necessity and proportionality, and in compliance with the right to respect for private and family life. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Irish government announced its intention at the end of 2020 to reduce the waiting period for asylum applicants from 9 months to 6 months to apply for a work permit. The permission's validity was to be extended from 6 months to 12 months. The new measures were introduced in January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The government proposed a bill creating the legal basis for enforced COVID-19 testing in the beginning of 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Detained applicants can address petitions and complaints to the national, regional and local ombudspersons. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Asylum Act was amended to regulate the hierarchy of national and international protection statuses. If the conditions for granting international protection are not met, then the possibility of granting a national status will be considered. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An amendment to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners entered into force in January 2020, which granted applicants the right to work if the Migration Department had not taken a decision on their application within 6 months of the lodging and the applicants were not responsible for the delay. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The Federal Council announced that it will not create a legal basis in the Law for Foreigners and Integration for the introduction of electronic bracelets as an alternative to administrative detention. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The International Protection Act set in law the grounds and procedures for granting, excluding or revoking Temporary Humanitarian Status. EASO Asylum Report 2021