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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
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The National Reception Office (ONA, Office nationale de l'accueil) was established. LU LEG 02 2019
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Cases lodged by Afghan nationals were processed where the need for protection was evident, so only positive decisions were issued, as well as inadmissible and Dublin decisions, while negative decisions were suspended. From the end of January 2022, the examination of these cases resumed, and the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum scheduled applicants for a complementary interview to discuss changes in their situation if the initial interview was done before 15 August 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of Education, Childhood and Youth published a guide addressed to professionals working with newly-arrived foreign students, with a specific section on minors who are applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2021 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A modification to the Asylum Law came into force in July 2021. An appeal against a Dublin transfer decision means an automatic suspension of the transfer until the administrative court takes a final decision within 1 month. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A bill was introduced to the parliament proposing to extend the possibility of administrative detention to any illegally-staying foreigner who needs to be forcibly removed, including EU citizens and their family members who were issued a removal order. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The reform of the Integration Act is foreseen, and the Minister for Families and Integration launched a public consultation. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Luxembourg increased its reception capacity to 5,126 beds at the end of 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A draft law would modify the remedy system available for the The Dublin procedure to ensure the efficiency of the procedure, while keeping legal guarantees at the maximum level. It would modify and align the time limits and methods of appeal. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2019 Institutional Content of protection Content of protection The Department of Integration was created within the Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2021 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The budget was increased for the Directorate of Immigration for translation and interpretation by 2.8%, while in practice it spent 32% more for these purposes in 2021 compared to 2020. The costs allocated to the National Reception Office (ONA) for experts, studies and translations decreased by 38%. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection On 1 January 2020, the National Reception Office (ONA), which is under the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, replaced the Luxembourg Office for Reception and Integration (OLAI) for the reception of asylum applications. The responsibility for integration was transferred to the Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region under the Department for Integration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Guidance was reviewed and updated, new internal standard operating procedures for radicalisation and extremism were launched, and an internal guide on the application of internal protection alternatives was developed. Following EASO guidance, the decision template was updated. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Amendments to the Maltese Reception Regulations provided a more comprehensive transposition of the provisions in the recast Reception Directive on material reception conditions for vulnerable applicants. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency issued internal guidelines, which were formally adopted in 2020 and implemented in 2021, on interviewing and assessing applications based on sexual orientation and gender identity. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Immigration Act was amended on the rules for appointing interim guardians for prohibited migrants who claim to be minors. The CEO of AWAS may again appoint a guardian. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The International Protection Appeals Tribunal now has a full-time chairperson and two or more members on a part-time basis, appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency drafted guidelines on the involvement and conduct of legal representatives (NGOs or private lawyers) during an asylum interview, allowing lawyers to intervene at certain parts of the interview and limiting their presence in cases of disruptive behaviour. A lawyer can submit supplementary statements within 5 days after the interview. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure SOGI was included to be a particular social group under the Procedural Standards for Granting and Withdrawing International Protection Regulation. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency sampled cases for quality assurance. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency initiated a process to digitise all physical case files and transition towards an electronic filing system. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance A new chamber was created within the Refugee Appeals Board. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs A standard form was optimised to submit a subsequent application to further streamline the process. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The International Protection Agency and AWAS signed a memorandum of understanding on the medical referral of applicants claiming to be survivors of FGM/C. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act was amended in 2021 to avoid the potential conflict of interest that was embedded in the previous practice, when social workers and guardians belonged to the same institution. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The National Asylum Seekers Management System (NASMS) was improved to better communicate information on individual cases between the International Protection Agency and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal. EUAA Asylum Report 2022