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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 2019 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity in Greece issued several ministerial decisions throughout the year related to the registry of professional guardianship, guardian selection criteria, training and the procedures for the assessment and determination of the best interests of the child. EL LEG 06 2019, EL LEG 07 2019, EL LEG 08 2019, EL LEG 09 2019
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A separate decision in writing on issuing or renewing a foreigner’s registration certificate is no longer required. LT LEG 01 2019
Croatia Flag Croatia 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An amendment of an ordinance clarified the rules on the absence of an applicant from the reception facility. HR LEG 03 2019
France Flag France 2019 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A decree clarified the role and tasks of the préfectures concerning the Regional Dublin Procedural Hubs. FR LEG 01 2019
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Further improvement to the AZR is foreseen to better monitor voluntary departure. DE LEG 01 2019
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Law on the Establishment and Operation of the Administrative Court was amended introducing an automatic suspensive effect for an appeal against a return decision, deportation order and removal order. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Finland opened consultations on proposed amendments to the Citizenship Act (359/2003) and the Government Decree on Citizenship (293/2013). EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants An amendment to the International Protection Act 2015, Section 48(3) to extend the 5-day period for a voluntary return to 30 days has been finalised for inclusion in the General Scheme of the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2022, a government priority bill. This change was implemented in line with recommendations of the Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs A new legal provision notes that only the International Protection Agency can designate a country as a safe country of origin, and it must be included in the Schedule to the International Protection Act. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Slovenia Flag Slovenia 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Following amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA), rules were adopted on the procedure for foreigners who wish to apply for international protection and the procedure for accepting applications for international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Social orientation classes became obligatory in Sweden for all applicants as soon as possible after an application for asylum has been registered. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum Amendments to the Nationality Code clarified that recognition as a stateless person was not required to grant Belgian nationality to a child born in Belgium without a nationality. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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
Finland Flag Finland 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Government legislative proposal 132/2022 was submitted to parliament in order to enable applicants for international protection to be registered in the Civil Registry at an earlier stage and to ease the prerequisites for registration. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Aliens Circular was amended and clarified that when a child is born after a parent has received a return decision, even though the child is subject to an independent return decision, the period of voluntary return is aligned to the parents' decision and expires at the same time. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The application of the joint ministerial decision that provided for the application of the exceptional border procedure was not renewed. Border procedures apply only to applicants for international protection who arrive on the islands of Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Kos and Leros and live in a Reception and Identification Centre (RIC) or a Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC). EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The so-called EBO rules entered into force on 1 July 2020. According to these rules, applicants are no longer entitled to a daily allowance if they choose to reside in specific areas with high rates of immigrants and socio-economic challenges (32 municipalities listed in 2020, revised to 23 municipalities as of 1 January 2021). EASO Asylum Report 2021
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The new regulation for pre-removal detention centres (CPR) was published, followed by a circular from the Department of Civil Liberties and Immigration on its implementation. The circular regulates access to the centres, the services provided, communication, visits as well as monitoring and controls. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Amendments to the International Protection Act enables an appeal against a decision by the International Protection Agency which terminates refugee or subsidiary protection, except in cases where the beneficiary has renounced protection or become a Maltese national. The competence of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal now covers an ex nunc examination of the appeal. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Applications submitted in detention, a hotspot or a repatriation centre are no longer prioritised. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Romania Flag Romania 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A government decision established the legal basis for paying benefits by card to asylum applicants. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications A new definition was adopted for subsequent applications to align it with the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal comment (RK/002/2022) on the interpretation of CJEU C-441/19 by which the court ruled that, before issuing a return decision for an unaccompanied minor, Member States must confirm that there are adequate reception facilities for minors in the state of return. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The definition of manifestly-unfounded applications was amended and aligned with the definition in the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A Joint Ministerial Decision was issued on the procedure and criteria to register in the Register for Rapporteurs-Assistant Case Handlers for Asylum. EASO Asylum Report 2021