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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
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A new 3-year project for the integration of refugees into Croatian society was approved by the Directorate for European Affairs, International Relations and European Union Funds in early March 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the application of the ECHR, Article 3 in the assessment of an asylum application when an illness is invoked. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Germany Flag Germany 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection New AnkER facilities were opened. In 2020, the model has been implemented in 8 of 16 federal states. 7 AnkER facilities have been set up in the state of Bavaria, 1 AnkER facility in each of the states of Saxony and Saarland. In addition to that, seven 'functionally-equivalent facilities' exist nationwide. The functioning of these facilities was evaluated and the results were published in February 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Switzerland introduced specific policies for the vaccination of asylum applicants, specifying that vaccines are free of charge, on a voluntary basis and by registration to receive an appointment EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Croatia is developing and implementing a new IT application (RECORD) with AMIF funding that aims to improve the quality of collecting, managing, processing, monitoring and reporting data in the field of international protection. Funds for the implementation of the project proposal were approved on 23 November 2020. Iin April 2021, the technical specifications for the project were being drafted. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Policy Country of origin information Country of origin information CEDOCA created a working group on statistics to better understand methodologies and data visualisations in reports. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The suspension of the processing of cases by Ethiopian nationals was lifted by the Coordination Committee of the Refugee Appeals Board, which found that the nature of the situation in the capital city did not amount to a risk for any person of Tigrayan ethnicity to be arrested, mistreated or assaulted. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions After a 3-year pilot, the Neustart im Team (NesT) programme for community sponsorship was consolidated. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A regularisation scheme was launched, under which applicants who had been waiting for a decision for more than 2 years may access the labour market and acquire a residence permit. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Policy Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The Unites States, Armenia and Trinidad and Tobago were re-assessed as safe countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) and United Work implemented a pilot project on employment for recognised beneficiaries of international protection in the Eindhoven region. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new contingency plan was adopted to ensure accommodation and care in the event of a sudden or gradual increase in the number of applicants for international protection. The plan also addresses the implementation of international protection procedures and provides for personnel and financial adjustments in the event of opening new accommodation facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2019 Policy Country of origin information Country of origin information A three-year project to update the information portal of the Asylum Division of the Migration Department was completed. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency issued a legal position on the relevant time for determining the age of an applicant or a sponsor, in particular in cases of family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Swedish Migration Agency published new instructions on handling LGBTI cases and changed its system on assessing these cases. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Spain Flag Spain 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The number of staff working on asylum was increased. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Belgium Flag Belgium 2019 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Fedasil in Belgium issued a new instruction on the implementation of the return process for failed applicants with serious medical issues. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The AMIF-funded OSAKA project was finalised, focusing on the assessment and recognition of previous education, work experiences and skills. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The AMIF project established the national forced return monitoring system, conducted by the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights Ombudsman. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2019 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A new software was piloted to store files of applicants who are subject to incoming Dublin requests from other states. EASO Asylum Report 2020
France Flag France 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Prime Minister evaluated the results of amendments introduced in September 2018 and put forward several major guidelines shaping the French migration policy, including improving integration policies and the reception of applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Changes in the procedure to grant a residence permit for persons in a distressing situation were implemented (among others) with the abolishment of the discretionary power of the Minister for Migration and by mandating the Managing Director of the IND to consider ex officio within the first assessment of the application whether a distressing situation exists. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Withdrawal procedures remained a priority for the BFA. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Belgium Flag Belgium 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Fedasil launched a seven-module training programme for managers and training in breathing techniques for staff working in reception centres to support their emotional resilience. The content of the training on dealing with aggression was expanded. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Cypriot Council of Ministers approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee mandated to suggest specific responses and management measures to address the emergency resulting from increased migration flows; a management unit with operational facilities; and a contingency plan for the irregular arrival of third-country nationals by sea or through the Green Line. EUAA Asylum Report 2022