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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 ascending Country Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Romania Flag Romania 2020 Policy Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Depending on the claims made and documentation available, authorities prioritised applicants from Algeria, Bangladesh, India, Morocco, Pakistan and Tunisia. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The government approved a decision on a new national mechanism to identify and refer victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Romania Flag Romania 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection New methodological norms were published for the implementation of the 2019 amendments of the Integration Act. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The new National Strategy on Immigration for 2021-2024 was launched in Romania, including special objectives on integration. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A card document for asylum seekers was introduced, intended to prevent the circulation of forged documents. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Romania Flag Romania 2020 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions A new Emergency Transit Centre was opened in Timisoara providing temporary accommodation for beneficiaries of international protection waiting to be resettled to a third country. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2020 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The regulation on accommodation centres for foreigners taken into public custody was amended and a new chapter was added to regulate the General Inspectorate for Immigration's use of personal data. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure New standard operating procedures were developed in Romania on the identification, needs assessment, assistance and referral of vulnerable persons. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The new National Strategy on Immigration 2021-2024 was approved, together with the Action Plan to implement the national strategy, with objectives related to making the national asylum system more efficient. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Romania Flag Romania 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A government decision established the legal basis for paying benefits by card to asylum applicants. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Romania Flag Romania 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of the Interior organised a?public debate on the draft Government Decision for approval of the National Strategy on Immigration for 2020-2023. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Law No 114/2021 was adopted to digitalise the second instance procedure and allow for remote hearings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Romania Flag Romania 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Romania introduced specific policies for the vaccination of asylum applicants, specifying that vaccines are free of charge, on a voluntary basis and by registration to receive an appointment. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Asylum Act was amended and codified the practice that applicants can stay outside of the reception facility for 3 months, with the possibility of extending this period without losing the right to material reception conditions. The act also regulates the initial integration of beneficiaries of international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2021 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A new strategic document on migration policy was adopted, with an emphasis on voluntary returns rather than forced returns. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Slovakia established a new quality assurance mechanism for the asylum procedure, to be carried out every 6 months or on an ad hoc basis. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation A draft amendment to the Asylum Act and other related acts was adopted and put to public consultation, listing services available to asylum applicants. The amendments are expected to enter into force in June 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2019 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior issued the guideline, “Procedure of the Provision of Interpretation and Translation Services in the Domain of the Migration Office”. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The waiting period for applicants to access the labour market was shortened from 9 to 6 months. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A new legal provision was adopted to provide for the suspension of a transfer decision when a third-country national under the Dublin procedure absconds. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2019 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The Act on Census of Population and Housing 2021 was adopted, which provides for information collection, not only on Slovak citizens, but also on other EU nationals, third country nationals and stateless persons. SK LEG 01 2019
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Migration Office updated its internal instrument used for the identification of special needs and vulnerabilities, by finetuning the procedures for completing an applicant’s social file and by strengthening cooperation among the various actors involved. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The asylum and reception contingency plan was revised to address the arrival of persons in need of temporary protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A draft amendment to the Asylum Act and other related acts was adopted and put to public consultation, defining and regulating the initial integration of beneficiaries of international protection. The amendments are expected to enter into force in June 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior continued to implement the AMIF-funded project Capacity Building in the Field of Asylum, which trains its staff members on reception of asylum seekers, including timely and thorough identification of vulnerable groups. EASO Asylum Report 2020