|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The State Agency for Refugees in Bulgaria prepared the framework for distance learning for children accommodated in the agency's facilities. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The amendments to the Law on Asylum and Refugees in Bulgaria added two new circumstances when international protection status ceases: when a beneficiary passes away or when a person refuses expressly to be recognised as a beneficiary of international protection. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
A draft law aims to amend the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria, including, for example, shorter time limits for appealing decisions on pre-removal detention. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
The court has to decide ex officio or at the request of the applicant on the right to stay during an appeal against the rejection of a subsequent application. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Bulgaria increased the capacity of two pre-removal facilities (Busmantsi and Lyubimets) from 700 to 1,060 persons. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The National Refugee Employment and Training Programme in Bulgaria was extended for 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Law on Foreigners was amended to provide clarification on the return procedure. For example, the country to which a return is to be executed must be indicated in the return decision. Automatic suspensive effect was introduced for an appeal which is filed against an expulsion order issued on the grounds of serious threat to public order. In addition, if it is established by a judicial act that a foreigner subject to a removal order cannot be returned to a country due to a risk to the person's life and liberty or persecution, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, an order must be issued which explicitly states the prohibition of return and the state to which the foreigner should not be returned. This order is not subject to appeal. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
Following amendments, the Law on Asylum and Refugees clearly states that state authorities have an obligation to ensure asylym applicants' access to legal aid. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended in a comprehensive manner to bring national legislation more in line with the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. For example, the law allows for gathering expert opinions on a larger range of issues. It provides guidance on gathering and using information for the assessment of a case. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees started to apply EASO standards to identify vulnerable applicants, and it established two safe zones for unaccompanied children in the reception centre in Sofia, which are operated by the IOM. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
Some processes related to decisions on Dublin cases were clarified, with the aim to have a more efficient and timely procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
An amendment to the Law on Foreigners was adopted which introduced new grounds for refusing to grant stateless status. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
In order to fill gaps in labour market shortages caused by the pandemic, applicants were exceptionally exempted from the 4-month waiting period until 30 June 2020. In view of the continuing shortage of workers in some sectors due to the closing of the borders, this measure was resumed from December 2020 until 30 June 2021. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Country of origin information |
CEDOCA developed a new training programme on COI through an online tutorial. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
A new community sponsorship programme was activated and the first families arrived to Belgium through this programme at the end of 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
The new Royal Decree establishing the list of safe countries of origin entered into force. The list itself includes the same countries. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Minister of Asylum and Migration announced new measures aiming to fight against the abuse of the asylum system. Persons already benefitting from international protection in another EU Member State no longer receive material reception conditions. Dublin applicants who abscond and re-apply for reception following 6 months are also no longer entitled to material reception conditions. Fedasil evaluated these rejections in an individual manner, case-by-case, taking into account any possible vulnerabilities. This policy was withdrawn later in 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Council of State suspended the project which aimed to pilot the use of videoconferencing in open centres. This is due to the fact that the Royal Decree on the functioning of the CGRS does not mention this among the competencies of the authority. The project can only continue once the Royal Decree is amended. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The Flemish government adopted a new integration path for newcomers which includes four components (language learning, economic autonomy, social orientation and sponsorship by a Flemish 'buddy') and will conclude with an exam. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Immigration Office provided detailed guidance on the exceptional circumstances to extend the validity of family reunification decisions and the validity of supporting documents. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The Council of Ministers approved a law proposal and a draft royal decree, which aims to adapt the working methods of the CALL to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments concern the electronic communication of procedural documents and the written procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
During the months when personal interviews were halted the focus was on case loads for which an interview had already taken place. Furthermore, the focus during this period was also on cases where it was clear, based on written documents, that the applicant was in need of international protection (mostly Syrians or where a family member had already obtained international protection). Likewise, subsequent applications without any new elements received a decision without an interview. When interviews resumed, priority was given to applicants who were within the reception system of the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil) and already had a status in another EU+ Member State and Brazilian applicants who were already in the country before applying for asylum. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The final report of the commission for the evaluation of policies on foreigners' voluntary and forced return (also known as the Bossuyt Commission) was published. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |