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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 Sort descending Thematic area Development Source
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
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure In the framework of the custody to secure departure (Ausreisegewahrsam), it was clarified that the risk of absconding is not a determining criteria. A person can be placed in custody to secure departure when the deadline for leaving the country has expired by more than 30 days. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Labour market tests are no longer applied for the employment of foreigners whose removal has been suspended or applicants who have a permission to stay pending the asylum decision. DE LEG 05 2019
Italy Flag Italy 2019 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new security decree adopted by the Council of Ministers stated that boats suspected of facilitating irregular migration may be refused entry into Italian ports and boats violating the ban could face substantial fines and be seized by the authorities. IT LEG 01 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment to the Integration Act requires the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs to provide German courses to a minimum B1 level to beneficiaries of international protection older than 15 years. AT LEG 04 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The time limit for the accelerated procedure for international protection was extended from 30 to 90 days. CZ LEG 01 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The decree specifying the conditions to orient applicants to the appropriate authority to lodge an application came into force, which allows as an exception for phone communication with the protection officer for the interview, if neither an in-person nor a video-conference interview is possible with the applicant. FR LEG 07 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The length of the obligatory orientation course for beneficiaries of international protection was extended from 8 to 24 hours to include modules on gender equality, antisemitism and the importance of voluntary work. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The government took action toward increasing its reception capacity dedicated to unaccompanied children. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Greece Flag Greece 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The implementation of Article 90(3) and (5) of Law No 4636/2019 on the exceptional border procedure that applies to third-country nationals in Reception and Identification Centres in Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos was extended until 31 December 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2021 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Authorities declared a state of emergency applicable to the entire border section with Belarus and 5 kilometres from it. Measures included the substantial closure of the border, limited access to emergency areas to permit holders, and limited access by foreigners. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The Statelessness Determination Procedure Act was discussed by the parliament. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2021 Legislative Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure Information on the consequences of arbitrarily leaving the asylum centre’s admission facility is now provided by the police during preliminary proceedings. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Amendments to LASi provide for access to free legal counselling or representation after an asylum applicant has been transferred to a canton if the services were received while accommodated in a federal centre. The legislative amendment is expected to enter into force in 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was updated, and Russia was removed from the list. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance When assessing the recast Qualification Directive, Article 15(c) criteria on whether there is serious and individual threat to a civilian's life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict, the IND needs to take into account whether there is a basic security structure present in the country of origin or in a specific area of the country. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A bill proposed to oblige the Asylum Service to obtain a health care professional’s advice for an applicant’s ability to be interviewed. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An amendment to Ordinance 1 on asylum settles the implementation rules for video surveillance in federal reception centres. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Latvia Flag Latvia 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The state of emergency was extended at the Latvian-Belarusian border. Applicants can only submit applications for international protection at official border crossing points or detention facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Certain tasks of the Minister for Justice and Equality were transferred to the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, including the coordination of the national integration policy, the International Protection Accommodation Services, the International Protection Procurement Services and giving permission to enter and stay in the country for resettlement or temporary protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The New Civic Integration Law entered into force, where newcomers under an integration obligation are guided through the process by municipalities. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services The National Commission for Asylum in Italy was considering adding new criteria into public tenders to ensure that interpreters have a suitable level of comprehension of the Italian language. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The amendments guaranteed free legal aid throughout the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021