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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
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The scope of the term family was widened. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended to address shortcomings in the identification, legal representation and age assessment procedure for unaccompanied children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The amendment of the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens allows the PBGB to request assistance from EASO and to be involved in the processing of an asylum application in the territory of another state, based on an international agreement or an EU act. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications An amendment to the Aliens Circular (Vc) established a new procedure regarding lodging and assessing subsequent asylum applications. NL LEG 03 2019
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The provisions concerning the new accelerated asylum procedures entered into force on 1 March 2019, following the adoption of the new Asylum Law in September 2015, the national referendum in June 2016 and the pilot projects carried out in Zurich, Boudry and Giffers. CH LEG 01 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Authorities will no longer announce the planned date for forced removal following the expiry of the date for voluntary return. Information about the circumstances of a particular removal is now considered to be secret and sharing such information or instigating or abetting the sharing of such information is punishable under criminal law. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The act introduced the tolerated status related to employment (Beschäftigungsduldung) for persons who can cover their own living costs and are well integrated. The criteria include: at least of 12 months of tolerated status (Vorduldung), clear identity, in employment for at least 18 months working at least 35 hours a week, stable livelihood and sufficient language knowledge. DE LEG 06 2019
Italy Flag Italy 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications New Inter-ministerial Decree defined a list of safe countries of origin. IT LEG 03 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Country of origin information Country of origin information Sri Lanka was removed from the list of countries considered to be safe countries of origin due to the reintroduction of capital punishment. AT LEG 06 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A new alternative to detention was approved, involving stays at a designated residence with regular checks. CZ LEG 01 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An order provided specifications for collective reception centres. FR LEG 09 2019
Belgium Flag Belgium 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Belgian CALL announced that from March 2022 procedural documents can be submitted online. Documents can be sent electronically via J-box, an alternative to traditional registered mail, and for an appeal in a special procedure, this option replaced the traditional submission by fax. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Amendments to the Aliens Act and the Return Act foresee the possibility to transfer suddenly-arrived asylum seekers to a partner country outside of the EU to process their asylum applications and subsequently provide protection to those in need. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Turkey was designated a safe third country for applicants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens changed second instance procedures for decisions pronounced in an accelerated procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A new Integration Act entered into force in January 2021, putting more emphasis on training participants in the introduction programme (mostly refugees) on the skills required by Norwegian employers or needed to qualify for further education. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2021 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure Amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA) ensured that unaccompanied children have continued legal representation even after a decision is given on their asylum application. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A number of legislative changes were adopted in the area of asylum and return, including compulsory COVID-19 tests for a person subject to a return, expulsion measure or a Dublin transfer, even against their will. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The reasons for excluding from or ending international protection were expanded following a legislative amendment. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Further guidance was added on how to interpret the element political conviction: it is clarified that the applicant cannot be expected to exercise restraint on his/her fundamental political views, which may be actions or expressions that are particularly important for the person's identity or moral integrity. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A new law was adopted on child protection, including the requirement for child welfare services to inform unaccompanied minors about the possibility to apply for international protection and the support which is available for them. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Poland Flag Poland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Humanitarian visa holders are permitted to work without a work permit since 1 December 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Presidential Decree No 77/17.11.2022 established Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCACs) on Samos, Kos, Leros, Lesvos and Chios as regional services of the Reception and Identification Service. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An amendment to Ordinance 2 on asylum settled the funding of security costs of federal reception centres when they are temporarily closed. The confederation pays a lump sum for a year, even when the centre is closed. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners came into effect, noting that during a state of emergency or an extreme situation due to a mass influx, foreigners may lodge an application for international protection from abroad within consular posts designated by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Additional amendments were passed when an application is considered to be lodged under this procedure, when the Border Guard should still accept applications for international protection from persons who have crossed the border in an irregular manner, and circumstances when the application is not accepted. EUAA Asylum Report 2023