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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 Country Year Type of development Thematic area Sort descending Development Source
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Instruction was provided to accelerate the re-housing of beneficiaries of international protection. FR LEG 15 2019
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
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency provided clarification on the application of the economic requirement for family reunification, explaining in which cases beneficiaries of international protection and children are exempted from these rules. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The National Plan on the Integration of Migrants of the Republic of Cyprus was released for public consultation at the end of 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Italy Flag Italy 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of the Interior published a circular clarifying that the special permit based on the principle of non-refoulement can be requested directly from the police (questura). EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The COA launched a pilot project in Utrecht for beneficiaries of international protection, where beneficiaries combine studying and apprenticeship in a 2-year programme to become COA employees. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A new strategic document on migration policy was adopted, underlining the strengthened need for local level integration of beneficiaries of international protection, including high-quality education for children and the continued offer of Slovak language classes. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A new 3-year project for the integration of refugees into Croatian society was approved by the Directorate for European Affairs, International Relations and European Union Funds in early March 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A new provision regarding the cessation of international protection (unequivocal renunciation) was added to the Procedural Standards for Granting and Withdrawing International Protection Regulations. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Municipalities in the Netherlands received an additional EUR 40 million for 2019 and 2020 to become more involved in the counselling of beneficiaries of international protection in their civic integration and language learning. The additional resources also aim to help municipalities orient themselves towards their directing role in the new civic integration system in order to promote a smooth transition to the new system. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Law No 4815/2021 made minor adjustments to the provisions on the residence permit of beneficiaries of international protection and their family members in Greece. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Danish Immigration Service reassessed the issuance of residence permits to several hundred Syrians from the Damascus area. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Council of Ministers agreed on the creation of an Inter-ministerial Conference on Migration and Integration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Alien Circular 2000 now explicitly states that the IND has to always include in the decision on family reunification all indicative statements and documents, and in some cases, further examination may be initiated. When a contradiction leads to no further investigation, this has to be motivated. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The draft of the Second Law for the Introduction of a Right of Opportunity to Stay proposed to end the accumulation of tolerated stay periods (Kettenduldung), which would no longer be counted towards residence rights. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment to the ordinance on delivering travel documents for foreigners clarified when refugees under a travel ban can still receive an exceptional authorisation to travel to a country falling under that travel ban. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Amendments to the Immigration Act would allow authorities to expulse refugees, without first making a decision on the cessation of the status, when the person has been convicted and sentenced of a crime that is punishable by 2 or more years of prison. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Act on Tolerated Status related to Education and Employment of 8 July 2019 entered into force on 1 January 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Young Afghan refugees who received protection shortly after turning 18 years are now also allowed to apply for family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A new financing system in the asylum sector entered into force to coordinate optimally the tasks of care, social assistance and integration support for refugees, provisionally admitted persons and persons in need of protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The act introduced the tolerated status related to employment (Beschäftigungsduldung) for persons who can cover their own living costs and are well integrated. The criteria include: at least of 12 months of tolerated status (Vorduldung), clear identity, in employment for at least 18 months working at least 35 hours a week, stable livelihood and sufficient language knowledge. DE LEG 06 2019
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A new Integration Act entered into force in January 2021, putting more emphasis on training participants in the introduction programme (mostly refugees) on the skills required by Norwegian employers or needed to qualify for further education. EUAA Asylum Report 2022