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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 Sort descending Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure In the framework of the Consolidated Government Policy Plan 2021, the Prime Minister announced among the main projects related to asylum and migration the establishment of an innovative closed controlled structures on the island and inland with multiple levels of security. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Türkiye was retained as a safe third country. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Decisions may be notified by e-mail, where the decision is considered to be notified 48 hours after it was sent to the applicant. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A Joint Ministerial Decision was issued on age assessments, foreseeing the establishment of a Unit of Medical Examination and Psychosocial Support in Reception and Identification Centres and Temporary Reception or Accommodation structures where the age assessment procedures is carried out. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Citizen Protection and the Ministry of Migration Policy were merged into a new Ministry of Citizen Protection. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Greece Flag Greece 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Greece adopted a list of 12 safe countries of origin: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Georgia, Ghana, India, Morocco, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia, The Gambia and Ukraine. EL LEG 04 2019
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 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Among the planned government projects for 2021, the consolidation and upgrading of electronic decision-making, tele-interviewing and tele-interpretation initiatives are foreseen. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The implementation of the rules on the exceptional border procedure - which applies to third-country nationals in Reception and Identification Centres in Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos - were extended until 31 December 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services An amendment clarified that where the provision of interpretation is not possible in the applicant's language of choice, interpretation is provided in the official language of the applicant's country of origin or in another language which may reasonably be assumed to be understood by the applicant, including international sign language. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Decision on the procedure for issuing travel documents to refugee beneficiaries. EL LEG 01 2019
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 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The concept of closed controlled island structures (KEDN) was clarified. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Hungarian Government extended the time limit of Government Decree 41/2016 (III. 9.) stating that there was a continued state of crisis caused by mass migration. HU LEG 02 2019
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new Article 80 was added to the Asylum Decree: This allows the NDGAP to ask for support from the National Security Service to access data available on any objects under seizure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Reception Facilities Supervisory Unit became responsible for operating and managing reception facilities. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new section and a new Article 32/Z was added to the Asylum Law: This allows the NDGAP to confiscate any object (for example, mobile phones, laptops) when the facts cannot be clarified otherwise, there would be a significant delay in clarifying the facts without confiscation or not seizing the object would jeopardise the success of the examination procedure. Previously the rules of the General Administrative Law defined the rules for seizure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Asylum Law, Article 31/A(1a) was amended: It was added that there needs to be a risk of absconding, in order to take a foreigner into detention, when he/she did not apply for asylum and the Dublin III Regulation might apply. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Asylum Law, Article 75/A included hosted persons (national form of protection) in the rules for reviewing the protection status. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Paragraph 8a was added under Asylum Law, Article 32/Y to clarify circumstances when the procedure to enforce a financial claim - which arose during the asylum procedure - ceases. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure An amendment entered into force which added new criteria for compulsory confinement of third country nationals under the Aliens Policing Procedure. HU LEG 03 2019
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Government Decree No 233/2020 (V.26.) defined special rules for the asylum procedure and requires applicants to submit a letter of intent at a Hungarian diplomatic mission in a non-EU country prior to their entry to Hungary and application for asylum. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new point k) was added under Asylum Law, Article 86(1): The NDGAP can also request data from authority responsible for citizenship matters, in order to fulfil its task. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Hungarian Immigration and Asylum Office (IAO) was transformed into the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP) and is now under the management of the Police. EASO Asylum Report 2020