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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 Sort descending Country Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
France Flag France 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A draft law was presented to the National Assembly, which would prohibit the regularisation of foreigners in irregular situations, such as former applicants. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The validity period of the asylum application certificate was extended to 10 months for applicants in the regular procedure and 6 months for applicants in the accelerated procedure. These can then be renewed in periods of 6 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Franco-German Parliamentary Assembly created a new joint working group on migration, asylum and integration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Ministry of the Interior published its National plan for the reception of applicants and the integration of refugees for 2021-2023, aiming to create 4,500 additional reception places in 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The General Directorate for Foreigners in France launched a telephone support centre for employees of the local orientation platforms (SPADA) and reception centres. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The French National Assembly drafted a report evaluating labour market integration policies of applicants and refugees. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection An instruction on family reunification provided guidance on processing incomplete or inadmissible family reunification requests in an effort to reduce processing times and decrease the number of disputes. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Applicants residing in Brittany and New Aquitaine have access to all the documents OFPRA sends them since 15 July 2020. This pilot implements the legislative amendments from 2018 and is foreseen to be extended gradually to the whole territory. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2019 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Three new centres for DRAPs (dispositifs de préparation de l’aide au retour) were opened. EASO Asylum Report 2020
France Flag France 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Withdrawal cards have been replaced by payment cards, on which the asylum applicant receives at the beginning of each month the allowance entitlement. EASO Asylum Report 2020
France Flag France 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The number of places was substantially increased in France, including the creation of a new type of reception facility in Île-de-France (CAIR). EASO Asylum Report 2020
France Flag France 2019 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure 42 full-time equivalent positions were created and 1 200 contractor work-months were allocated to the préfectures to decrease the waiting times for appointments at the one-stop services (GUDA, Guichet unique pour demandeurs d'asile). EASO Asylum Report 2020
France Flag France 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups OFPRA published its new asylum guide for unaccompanied minors. EASO Asylum Report 2020
France Flag France 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of the Interior posted several IT tools online to support language learning and social orientation for newcomers. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The National Court of Asylum (CNDA) signed an agreement with the bar association on the implementation of video hearings. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups OFPRA offered extensive training for senior protection officers on sexual orientation and gender identity. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Authorities will no longer announce the planned date for forced removal following the expiry of the date for voluntary return. Information about the circumstances of a particular removal is now considered to be secret and sharing such information or instigating or abetting the sharing of such information is punishable under criminal law. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A new category for tolerated stay (Duldung) was created for persons whose removal cannot be carried out due to ambiguities in their identity which they created, for example by not handing over the necessary travel documents or by misleading the authorities concerning their identity and nationality. These persons are subject to the residence obligation (Wohnsitzauflage) and do not have the right to undertake gainful employment. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act, material reception conditions can be restricted to a greater extent when the applicant does not cooperate. Applicants awaiting a transfer under the Dublin procedure are now entitled only to limited material reception conditions. Material reception conditions are limited to core benefits until leaving the country (Überbrückungsleistungen) for applicants who have already been granted international protection in another EU Member State and whose obligation to leave the territory is enforceable. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Adult applicants without children are required to live in an initial reception centre for a maximum period of 18 months (federal states may decide to extend this period to 24 months). The previous law defined a 6-month maximum period. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Access to information Access to information The Asylum Act was complemented with Article 12a, which regulates the modalities of BAMF counselling on asylum procedures for applicants. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The unemployment benefit may be paid during the period of the integration course or the employment-related language course, when the federal employment agency considers participation in such courses necessary for the sustainable labour market integration. DE LEG 04 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The law facilitates access to vocational training for all persons with a right to work in Germany, regardless of the initial residence circumstances of the person concerned. DE LEG 04 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Act on the Acceleration of Asylum Court Proceedings and the Asylum Procedure abandoned the routine revision of the international protection status 3 years after the first final decision. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new paragraph was added in the Asylum Act (Article 44(2a)), underlining that federal states are obliged to provide reception conditions ensuring the protection of women and other vulnerable applicants. DE LEG 03 2019