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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
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation A Joint Ministerial Decision re-defined the criteria to be registered in the Register of Greek and Foreign Non-Governmental Organisations and the Register of Members of Non-Governmental Organisations, which are active in matters of international protection, immigration and social integration within the territory of Greece. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Bangladesh and Pakistan were designated as safe countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A National Registry for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors was created to track the situation and adapt policies, decision-making, reception and other services accordingly. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The police director may issue a detention order upon the Asylum Service's prior notice. A judicial review is undertaken for the prolongation of the detention order but not for the initial order. The maximum initial detention period was extended from 45 days to 50 days and the total maximum detention period was extended from 3 months to 18 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCACs) were established at the borders with special detention facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Greek Red Cross for support with the provision of material reception conditions, including health services and psychological support. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Institutional Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Special Secretariat for the protection of unaccompanied and separated minors was appointed as the competent authority for the protection of unaccompanied children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Asylum Code codified the time limits for decisions on steps of the international protection procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Joint Ministerial Decision was issued on the terms of material reception condition under the ESTIA II programme, implementing Law No 4674/2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A Ministerial Decision provided that the prescription of medicines, therapeutic operations and diagnostic examinations for patients without health insurance (many of them beneficiaries of international protection) is possible only by doctors of public hospitals and primary health care structures, not private doctors. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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
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 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Asylum Law, Article 31/A(10) was amended: It was added that asylum detention can also take place - in exceptional cases - in a health care institution. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Government Decree No 411/2020 (VIII.30.) extended the validity of Government Decree No 41/2016 (III.9.) until 7 March 2021, stating that there is a continued state of crisis caused by mass migration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The special conditions to submit an asylum application were extended until 31 December 2023. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Under Asylum Law, Article 15, the threshold to exclude a person from subsidiary protection became lower: instead of violating national security, it is enough if the person's stay in the country endangers national security. 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
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The regional asylum offices were closed and the central department took over their tasks. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Government Decree 277/2018 (XII. 21.) entered into force, modifying Government Decree 114/2007 (V. 24.), which clarified the types of administrative actions that the Aliens Police can carry out in the absence of a legal guardian when the applicant is an unaccompanied minor. HU LEG 01 2019
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Asylum Law, Article 86/A was amended: The NDGAP can receive and process personal data that are publicly available due to public interest, including from foreign databases. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2021 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The special conditions to submit an asylum application which were introduced by the Hungarian government in May 2020 were extended until 31 December 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Article 80/K(11) now also includes persons whose status ceased or was revoked, meaning that when they submit a subsequent application under the rules applicable during a state of crisis caused by mass migration, they will not be entitled to a residence permit, material reception conditions or access to work. Previously this section included only persons whose application was rejected or terminated with a final decision. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The definition of a particular social group changed under Asylum Law, Article 64(1d): before the two elements (common characteristics, distinct identity in the relevant country) were alternative, divided by an or, now and and links them and the two elements are cumulative. 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 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