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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 descending Country Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Integration Action Plan 2020 was launched in December 2020, presenting the most important initiatives from 2020 and highlighting some of the future priorities. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Institutional Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Danish Return Agency started its operations on 1 August 2020 and is responsible for tasks linked to return, with the exception of forced removals. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The suspension of the processing of cases by Ethiopian nationals was lifted by the Coordination Committee of the Refugee Appeals Board, which found that the nature of the situation in the capital city did not amount to a risk for any person of Tigrayan ethnicity to be arrested, mistreated or assaulted. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants New legislation obliges applicants to undergo a medical examination for diseases and illnesses covered by the Danish Epidemic Act, e.g. COVID-19. If a returnee refuses to be tested, the Danish Return Agency can request the assistance of the police and the testing may, if necessary, be carried out with the use of force. The testing is always carried out by a health care professional. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative amendments were adopted on modifying the criteria to obtain permanent residence or family reunification. The person applying for family reunification with a child, a spouse or cohabitant should, as a rule, not have been convicted of 'negative social control' in the last 10 years. The person applying for permanent residence must not have been convicted of an unsuspended sentence of at least 60 days for 'negative social control'. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Amendments to the Aliens Act and the Return Act foresee the possibility to transfer suddenly-arrived asylum seekers to a partner country outside of the EU to process their asylum applications and subsequently provide protection to those in need. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection A new digital application was launched to allow family members other than spouses and children to apply online for family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Danish parliament adopted a bill introducing the possibility to transfer asylum applicants for adjudication of asylum claims and subsequent protection in third countries. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Refugee Board suspended appeals when the situation in Afghanistan was critical but continued to address other aspects, such as age assessments and Dublin transfers. The processing of cases was resumed in December 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Danish Immigration Service, the Refugee Appeals Board and the Immigration Board have jointly been preparing a memorandum on the protection of foreigners' private and family life in the European Convention on Human Rights and the UN convention on human rights in connection with the new withdrawal ground introduced in 2019. The memorandum was still under work in spring 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Danish Immigration Services extended processing deadlines and shifted personnel to allow for the prioritisation of applications lodged under the Special Act on Residence Permits for Displaced Persons from Ukraine. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A special legislative piece provides temporary residence permits to persons who have assisted the Danish authorities and have been evacuated from Afghanistan. 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
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance In October 2021, the Danish Refugee Board decided to review cases for citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who were about to be deported, in light of a report by the Swedish Migration Agency of 24 June 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Compliance with a return decision issued to a minor or an adult foreigner with limited active legal capacity will be organised by a parent, guardian or other responsible adult person who is staying with the person in Estonia. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens was amended to include the conditions and timeframes for detaining applicants in an emergency situation caused by mass arrivals. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Ukraine was removed from the list of safe countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Amendments to the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens clarified that the rejection decision includes a return decision and a prohibition on entry for 3 years. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The amendment of the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens clarified that the PBGB must update the list of safe countries of origin at least once a year. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2019 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A legal counsellor was assigned to the detention centre to ensure legal aid for detainees. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of Cultural Affairs published guidelines for local governments on integration services. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance An updated version of the register of granting international protection (RAKS2) was launched, including new features that allow the inclusion of data on court procedures and an automated process for receiving country of origin information. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A new surveillance measure was introduced, the appearing for counselling. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Amendments to the Obligation to Leave and Prohibition on Entry Act (OLPEA) came into force, providing for the possibility for the PBGB or the Estonian Internal Security Service to detain third-country nationals for up to 48 hours, without the permission of an administrative court, to carry out identification procedures and to determine whether they are subjected to an obligation to leave the country. EUAA Asylum Report 2023