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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
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The AMIF-funded project Translation and expansion of the network of translators in the process of granting international protection was launched, with 43 interpreters . EASO Asylum Report 2021
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The national authorities concluded standard operating procedures on sexual and gender-based violence with UNHCR and national NGOs towards the end of 2020, aiming to start implementation as soon as possible. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Croatia Flag Croatia 2022 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure In continuation of a previous monitoring mechanism, a new agreement was signed to develop an independent framework to monitor the conduct of police personnel in the Ministry of the Interior who work in the area of irregular migration and international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A 3-year project providing psychosocial support for people residing in reception centres, conducted by the Croatian Red Cross and co-financed by AMIF, was started in February 2020. The project aims to improve the level of psychosocial support and social activities available in the reception centres. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Ministerial Decision defined the provision of material reception conditions in cash. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The new Administrative Court for International Protection (IPAC) began operating as of 18 June 2019. EASO Asylum Report 2020
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 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection New orders were issued by the Ministry of Labour, allowing applicants to start working before a formal decision is made on the work permit application. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Applicants from a safe country of origin may be assigned to the Collective Reception and Accommodation Centre through an individual administrative act for an accelerated processing of their application. If they leave the centre, their material reception conditions may be reduced or, in exceptional and duly justified cases, withdrawn. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance An amendment clarified that an appeal against a rejection of the asylum application together with a return, removal or expulsion order has suspensive effect. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The asylum services prioritised applications submitted in detention and at police stations. Due to an increase of the number of applicants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and from other African countries, Cyprus examined these applications with priority. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications When a subsequent application is deemed to be inadmissible, the appeal needs to be lodged within 15 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The asylum services prioritised applications submitted in detention and at police stations. Due to an increase of the number of applicants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and from other African countries, Cyprus examined these applications with priority. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The government took action toward increasing its reception capacity dedicated to unaccompanied children. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups A safe zone for vulnerable applicants was designed with EASO’s support in the First Reception Centre “Pournara” in Cyprus (not yet operational). EASO Asylum Report 2020
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
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The law on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was amended, formalising the practice that the Ombudsperson can visit freely, unhindered and unannounced any detention facility. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The registration of job seekers among asylum applicants and the renewal of their unemployment period moved online. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was revised and Ukraine was removed from the list. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The time limits to lodge an appeal against a final decision of the Asylum Service in front of the Administrative Court for International Protection were amended: 30 days for the regular procedure and 15 days for the accelerated procedure. The time limits to launch an appeal against a decision of the International Protection Administrative Court was reduced to 14 days from 42 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was updated, adding Armenia, Benin, Kenya, Kosovo, Moldova, Mongolia and Togo. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Courts were added to the Computerized Asylum Service System (CASS) database and case files were incorporated in the system. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The asylum authority may reject an application and issue at the same time a return, removal or expulsion order in a single administrative act. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Development of a screening system for vulnerable applicants was developed in the First Reception Centre “Pournara”, with the tool waiting to be implemented in practice. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The rules of procedures of the Administrative Court for International Protection (IPAC) were amended making the applicant's presence before the court mandatory, whether in person or represented by a lawyer, without which the appeal could be rejected, except in situations of force majeure. Applicants or their lawyer now have a maximum of 10 minutes to present their supporting arguments, unless extended by the court when deemed necessary. EUAA Asylum Report 2023