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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
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Ministerial Decision was issued on the creation of temporary reception establishments for applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new Article 80 was added to the Asylum Decree: This allows the NDGAP to ask for support from the National Security Service to access data available on any objects under seizure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The UK was designated as a safe third country. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A draft law aims to amend the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria, including, for example, shorter time limits for appealing decisions on pre-removal detention. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2020 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum A new legislative proposal was presented to the Parliament, which includes among other aspects of the asylum procedure, the establishment of a statelessness determination procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Finland Flag Finland 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The age limit for follow-up care for unaccompanied children was extended from 21 years to 25 years. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants An interdisciplinary commission was established to evaluate the best interests of unaccompanied minors in return decisions. LU LEG 03 2019
Spain Flag Spain 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The decree enabled the reception centres for unaccompanied minors in Ceuta and Melilla to receive funding directly. ES LEG 01 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The possibility was extended to place a foreigner in custody to secure removal (Sicherungshaft), with the objective to prevent absconding. DE LEG 03 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The act clarified that this rule also applies to unaccompanied minors who reach the age of majority. DE LEG 05 2019
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Hungarian Government extended the time limit of Government Decree 41/2016 (III. 9.) stating that there was a continued state of crisis caused by mass migration. HU LEG 02 2019
Austria Flag Austria 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The federal government and the provinces concluded an agreement to harmonise the child and youth welfare system in general, defining the responsibilities of the provinces in providing care and support to unaccompanied minors. AT LEG 01 2019
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Applicants for international protection may have access to the labour market in an extended number of occupations. CY LEG 02 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups A new database (AEM, Appui à l’évaluation de minorité) was created, providing support from central state authorities to the départements in carrying out age assessments. FR LEG 04 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new type of beneficiary group was established, referring to applicants in reception centres who are presumed to form a community with synergies in benefits, hence these applicants are now entitled to a lower level of benefits. DE LEG 02 2019
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The law on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was amended, formalising the practice that the Ombudsperson can visit freely, unhindered and unannounced any detention facility. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
France Flag France 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative amendments introduced the possibility of refusing or withdrawing refugee status from third-country nationals convicted of public support of an act of terrorism. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Latvia Flag Latvia 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Latvia reduced the waiting period for applicants to legally work from 6 months to 3 months. 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
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA) introduced the right to appeal a decision of the Administrative Court before the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court must decide on the appeal within 30 days. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection All new residence permits became temporary, with the exception of resettled refugees. Permanent residence can be obtained after a minimum of 3 years in the country, and as a general rule, adults applying have to be able to support themselves and their dependant relatives and have decent housing. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was revised and Ukraine 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 A draft decree would revise and shorten the Dutch regular asylum procedure from 8 days to 6 days. The draft underwent a public consultation process by the end of November 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Finland Flag Finland 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The government put a legislative proposal to consultation on the comprehensive reform of integration. The new system would increase the responsibility of municipalities in the integration process. The programme would include an exam in the Finnish or Swedish language. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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