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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
Romania Flag Romania 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The government approved a decision on a new national mechanism to identify and refer victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners was amended and states that all asylum-related decisions must be issued within 6 months. When the court returns the case, the deadline is 3 months. The examination of an asylum application is terminated without prior suspension when the applicant absconds. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Federal Council submitted a proposal for amendments on the operation of reception centres to ensure the safety and security of asylum applicants and reception staff. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The International Protection Appeals Tribunal now has a full-time chairperson and two or more members on a part-time basis, appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Decisions may be notified by e-mail, where the decision is considered to be notified 48 hours after it was sent to the applicant. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A Joint Ministerial Decision was issued on age assessments, foreseeing the establishment of a Unit of Medical Examination and Psychosocial Support in Reception and Identification Centres and Temporary Reception or Accommodation structures where the age assessment procedures is carried out. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Iceland Flag Iceland 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications A draft law would add a new Article 35a defining subsequent applications and noting that negative decisions for subsequent applications are automatically reviewed by the Immigration Appeals Board, unless the applicant specifically request otherwise. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Amendments updated the definitions for the terms 'safe country of origin' and 'safe third country' and additional guarantees were added in the law, as foreseen in the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance An amendment clarified that an appeal against a rejection of the asylum application together with a return, removal or expulsion order has suspensive effect. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The criteria for the risk of absconding when a return decision is issued were clarified. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Aliens Circular was amended to clarify that an age assessment takes place in two separate sessions, one with the AVIM and one with the IND. Employees of the same public authority assess the age independently, but they can attend the same assessment session. NL LEG 05 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Access to information Access to information The Asylum Act was complemented with Article 12a, which regulates the modalities of BAMF counselling on asylum procedures for applicants. DE LEG 03 2019
Greece Flag Greece 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Greece adopted a list of 12 safe countries of origin: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Georgia, Ghana, India, Morocco, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, The Gambia and Ukraine. EL LEG 04 2019
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2019 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Migration Department took over some tasks from the police and, for example, applicants can now lodge an application directly with the institution rather than the police. The initial interview with the applicant is obligatorily recorded (video or audio) and attached to the personal file. The department can now also issue a Certificate of Acceptance of an Application for Asylum, confirming an applicant’s status and serving as a Foreigners’ Registration Certificate, pending the issuance of the latter. LT LEG 01 2019
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2019 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum An amendment to the Law on Foreigners stated that stateless persons who do not meet the requirements for permanent or long-term residence may obtain permission for a one-year prolonged stay. BG LEG 01 2019
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications An amendment to the Aliens Act defined the criteria for subsequent applications. FI LEG 01 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The budget of CNDA continued to be increased to reduce the length of procedures at second instance. FR LEG 13 2019
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Amendments to the Law on Foreigners provide for a temporary automatic suspensive effect of an appeal against an expulsion order based on national-security grounds, containing “substantiated allegations” of important risk of death or ill treatment in the destination country. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Law No 4825/2021 adjusted some of the provisions related to the delivery of travel documents to beneficiaries of international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens clarified the scope of free legal assistance as covering solely asylum procedures at the national level and thus excluding cases submitted before European courts. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation A draft amendment to the Asylum Act and other related acts was adopted and put to public consultation, listing services available to asylum applicants. The amendments are expected to enter into force in June 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Spain Flag Spain 2021 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A Royal Decree was introduced to facilitate the process of granting residence and work permits for unaccompanied children in Spain. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance CALL launched a digital tool on 1 March 2022, entitled J-BOX, to exchange procedural documents electronically instead of using registered mail. The use of the tool became mandatory in appeals for accelerated and urgent measures. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Estonia Flag Estonia 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The new Victim Support Act entered into force, which aims to further improve the availability and quality of victim support services, for example for victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023