|
Iceland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A new arrival centre was opened in Reykjavík, offering all services from registration by the police to reception interviews, first health inspection and a needs assessment for permanent housing. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Italy |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The new National Plan for the Integration of Beneficiaries of International Protection 2022-2024 was adopted. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Netherlands |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
After the conclusion of the pilot project “Written Interviews” (schriftelijk horen), the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) initiated another pilot offering written interviews to Syrian, Turkish and Yemeni nationals (“Paper and Ink procedure”). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Norway |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The Ministry of Justice and Public Security clarified that when a third-country national who already holds a residence permit on other grounds in the country applies for international protection, free legal aid is not automatically granted but it is conditioned by a needs test. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Sweden |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the examination of protection needs of Somali nationals. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Muslim chaplaincy service is provided on a permanent basis in federal asylum centres. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Ireland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A bill was adopted to modify the National Referral Mechanism for human trafficking. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Cyprus |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
The list of safe countries of origin was revised and Ukraine was removed from the list. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The government put a legislative proposal to consultation on the comprehensive reform of integration. The new system would increase the responsibility of municipalities in the integration process. The programme would include an exam in the Finnish or Swedish language. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Greece |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Latvia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Netherlands |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The New Civic Integration Law entered into force, where newcomers under an integration obligation are guided through the process by municipalities. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Slovakia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The waiting period for applicants to access the labour market was shortened from 9 to 6 months. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
The registration process was reorganised, and applicants were required to report again directly to the Immigration Office in the Pacheco building instead of the arrival centre. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Bulgaria |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Staff training objectives for 2022 were postponed due to the influx of displaced persons from Ukraine. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Finnish Immigration Service announced in March 2023 that it had gathered sufficient, updated country information from Afghanistan on the security situation of different provinces and had been able to start making decisions for all Afghan applicants. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Greece |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
A new integration strategy for applicants and beneficiaries of international protection was launched for consultation. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Italy |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
Clerks were deployed to support judges assigned to the specialised section on migration, with the objective of reducing the backlog at second instance. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Netherlands |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A moratorium on decisions and returns was in place for political opponents from Sudan between 24 February and 24 August 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Netherlands |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
As a temporary measure, prolonged until September 2023, unaccompanied minors aged 17 years and 9 months and older were placed in regular asylum reception centres (azc), without special support since November 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Sweden |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A new legal position (RS/089/2021) was published on the examination of protection needs for citizens from Afghanistan, in particular on the situation of women and girls. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Switzerland significantly increased the number of accommodation places for asylum applicants and persons in need of temporary protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Portugal |
2022 |
Institutional |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the creation of a new asylum and migration agency. In addition, the Immigration and Border Service (SEF) will be restructured. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Integration programmes for newcomers became mandatory in Brussels, including for beneficiaries of international protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The Ministry of the Interior proposed amendments to the Nationality Act to update the definitions of a stateless person, in line with international treaties, eliminating the distinction between voluntarily stateless and involuntarily stateless person. However, the parliament did not manage to consider the proposal by the end of the electoral term (29 March 2023) and it was allowed to lapse. The next government will decide if the changes are proposed again. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |