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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 Thematic area Development Sort descending Source
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Italy launched a new digital platform to facilitate the family reunification procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Italy requested the temporary suspension of incoming Dublin transfers due to a lack of reception places. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Italy revised its list of safe countries of origin, de facto suspending Ukraine. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Joint Decision on the implementation of exceptional border procedures. EL LEG 03 2019
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Labour market access was granted to persons under humanitarian protection for medical reasons or due to natural disasters. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Labour market tests are no longer applied for the employment of foreigners whose removal has been suspended or applicants who have a permission to stay pending the asylum decision. DE LEG 05 2019
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Language courses, psychological assistance and integration activities were re-established for all applicants residing in reception centres. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Latvia Flag Latvia 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Latvia ratified the readmission agreement with Armenia in October 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Latvia Flag Latvia 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Latvia reduced the waiting period for applicants to legally work from 6 months to 3 months. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Law CLXII of 2020 modifies Law LVIII of 2020 and extends the application of special rules for the asylum procedure until 30 June 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Law LVIII of 2020 ratified Government Decree 2020 (V.26.) on special rules for the asylum procedure until 31 December 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Law No 114/2021 was adopted to digitalise the second instance procedure and allow for remote hearings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure Law No 1294/2022 was adopted to improve the identification and referral of victims of trafficking and their right to services and assistance, irrespective of the progress of criminal proceedings. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Law No 4815/2021 made minor adjustments to the provisions on the residence permit of beneficiaries of international protection and their family members in Greece. 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
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Law No 4825/2021 amended the grounds for revoking or refusing to renew refugee status and clarified the steps of this procedure. The amendments also underline the authority’s responsibility to provide an individualised reasoning for the decision to revoke the status or to refuse to renew it. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Law No 4825/2021 amended the provisions related to the Greek health care number (PAAYPA) to clarify some of the administrative issues related to the number’s issuance. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure Law No 4960/2022 aims to establish a uniform national guardianship system for unaccompanied migrant children. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Legal counsellors must undergo a security check and be granted access to classified information in order to perform activities during the asylum procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Legal position on residence permit for studies at upper secondary level. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Legal position on the application of ECHR, Article 3, when illness is invoked. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Legal provisions on the entitlement to material reception conditions were amended, and the situation of applicants going through a Dublin procedure was clarified. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Legislation was amended to allow for detention at the border for up to 3 days without a judicial review and without a written order. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
France Flag France 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative amendments introduced the possibility of refusing or withdrawing refugee status from third-country nationals convicted of public support of an act of terrorism. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative amendments proposed to deport foreigners who are sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence, regardless of the duration of their stay in the country. EUAA Asylum Report 2023