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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 ascending Thematic area Development Source
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2019 Legislative Access to information Access to information An amendment to the Law on Asylum and Refugees clarified the role of organisations which provide legal and social assistance. BG LEG 01 2019
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection For the purposes of family reunification of beneficiaries of international protection, it is clearly stated now that family ties must precede the foreigner's entry into the country. BG LEG 01 2019
Croatia Flag Croatia 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The new Foster Care Act entered into force, whereby unaccompanied minors can stay with a foster family. HR LEG 01 2019
Croatia Flag Croatia 2019 Legislative Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions A new decision was issued on the resettlement of third country nationals and stateless persons. HR LEG 02 2019
Croatia Flag Croatia 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An amendment of an ordinance clarified the rules on the absence of an applicant from the reception facility. HR LEG 03 2019
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications By Ministerial Decision on Safe Countries, the accelerated procedure is applied to Georgian nationals. CY LEG 01 2019
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Applicants for international protection may have access to the labour market in an extended number of occupations. CY 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
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Access to information Access to information Free legal advice must be available in each asylum facility. CZ LEG 01 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The time limit for the accelerated procedure for international protection was extended from 30 to 90 days. CZ LEG 01 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The list of grounds for subsequent applications was extended in July 2019 if there is reason to believe that asylum or subsidiary protection for the purpose of family reunification will be granted. CZ LEG 01 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
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications 12 new countries were added to the national list of safe countries of origin: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Ghana, Georgia (excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia), India, Moldova (excluding Transnistria), Morocco, New Zealand, Senegal, Tunisia and Ukraine (excluding Doneck and Luhansk Districts). CZ LEG 02 2019
Denmark Flag Denmark 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment was made to the criteria for assessing derivative circumstances for cessation, and residence permits of refugees and their family members may be revoked in a wider range of circumstances. DK LEG 01 2019
Estonia Flag Estonia 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications A proposition was presented to amend the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens by updating the national list of safe countries of origin at least once a year. The duty to notify the European Commission lies with the Ministry of the Interior. EE 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
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Authorities may take and retain the travel documents of an applicant throughout the asylum procedure. FI LEG 01 2019
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A subsequent application no longer prevents the enforcement of a removal decision if the subsequent application is deemed to be inadmissible and was submitted only for the purpose of delaying or impeding a removal. FI LEG 01 2019
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The start and end point of an applicant’s right to work was clarified. FI LEG 01 2019
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Based on CJEU Case C-550/16, the Aliens Act was amended and applicants reaching the age of 18 during the asylum procedure are considered to be minors for the purposes of family reunification. FI LEG 01 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A decree clarified the role and tasks of the préfectures concerning the Regional Dublin Procedural Hubs. FR LEG 01 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure An order designated the préfectures responsible for the implementation of Dublin procedures. FR LEG 02 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups A new database (AEM, Appui à l’évaluation de minorité) was created, providing support from central state authorities to the départements in carrying out age assessments. FR LEG 04 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
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Several provisions of the Law of 10 September 2018 entered into force in 2019 on managed immigration, an effective right of asylum and successful integration. FR LEG 06 2019