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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
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Public Employment Service started to roll out the Intensive Year programme for newly-arrived beneficiaries of international protection, which aims to get participants in employment within a year after the completion of the comprehensive, full-time integration programme. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on assessing the asylum applications of persons claiming to belong to a particularly vulnerable group in their country of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the examination of protection needs of Somali nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum Persons born in Sweden and having been stateless since birth may receive under certain conditions a permanent residence permit. SE LEG 01 2019
Portugal Flag Portugal 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the creation of a new asylum and migration agency. In addition, the Immigration and Border Service (SEF) will be restructured. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Portugal Flag Portugal 2022 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The revised Nationality Regulation entered into force, which facilitates acquiring citizenship for children born in Portugal to applicants or beneficiaries of international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Portugal Flag Portugal 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The High Commission for Migration and the Institute for Housing and Urban Rehabilitation signed a cooperation protocol to provide adequate access to housing to migrant populations, including to beneficiaries of international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Portugal Flag Portugal 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A provisional regularisation process was launched in Portugal, settling the situation of around 365,000 foreigners, including asylum applicants. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Portugal Flag Portugal 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The government launched a 2-year project to improve prevention, protection and support to victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Portugal Flag Portugal 2021 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions Around 200 refugees, who were evacuated from Afghanistan, were received as the government pledged to receive Afghan nationals on humanitarian admission grounds. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Portugal Flag Portugal 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Asylum Act was amended to allow applicants for international protection to work from the day they submit their application and receive related support. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Portugal Flag Portugal 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Council of Ministers in Portugal adopted a resolution establishing a single system for the reception and integration of beneficiaries of international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Portugal Flag Portugal 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Initiatives to increase reception capacity and open new centres continued. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Norwegian parliament passed a bill amending the Social Services Act, which requires third-country nationals older than 30 years with insufficient Norwegian knowledge to participate in language training as a condition to receive financial support. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The arrival centre was re-organised in Norway to include multiply stakeholders within the same centre. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Policy Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure The UDI launched a new website to inform applicants about the current situation in Afghanistan, some also providing a section on frequently asked questions. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Persons granted protection in Norway may obtain a long-term residence permit after 5 years, instead of the previous 3 years, following legislative amendments that entered into force in December 2020. The language knowledge requirement for naturalisation was increased from A2 to B1 level. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The UDI commissioned an assessment of the quality of 150 asylum interviews and decisions in order to use the findings to draft guidelines and policy instructions to case officers who decide on asylum claims. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A legislative proposal for a new Integration Act was introduced, re-shaping the integration programme for refugees. NO LEG 01 2019
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Directorate for Integration and Diversit published a report on municipality expenditure on supporting the integration of refugees. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services The Interpretation Act entered into force, obliging public bodies to use a qualified interpreter. It stipulates the requirement of professional conduct, including the duty of confidentiality, by interpreters. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The national budget was revised to employ more experts working with children in reception facilities, following the increasing number of arrivals from Ukraine. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The UDI provided special guidelines to all reception centres on preparing for school education. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure According to the amended Immigration Regulations, the UDI and UNE are given access to obtain necessary information from the child welfare service for the purpose of case processing. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Guidelines clarified that the Dublin III Regulation did not apply to persons who were granted collective protection (a status similar to temporary protection in the EU framework). EUAA Asylum Report 2023