|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Interpretation services |
Remote interpretation was used during registration and eligibility interviews in reception centres located outside of the capital, where interpreters are harder to find and employ. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners introduced new grounds for refusing to grant stateless status. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
An amendment was pending approval by the Council of Ministers to modify the “Regulation on responsibilities and coordination of public authorities implementing action on the application of the Dublin III and Eurodac Regulations”. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees established a pilot programme of self-care and well-being classes for women in the reception and registration centre Vrazhdebna in Sofia. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The National Strategy on Migration was adopted for the period 2021-2025. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
Belgium formally pledged to introduce a residence permit for stateless persons during the UN High Level Officials Meeting event taking place under the Global Refugee Forum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Reception capacity was significantly increased throughout 2021, reaching 30,000 places in February 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A new feature of the online web application, Match-IT, was rolled out to document social aspects of an applicant. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Changes to the integration path entered into force in the Flemish region of Belgium. The new programme includes four components (language learning, economic autonomy, social orientation and a 40-hour tandem programme with a Flemish ‘buddy’) and concludes with an exam. The compulsory programme is subject to a EUR 360 fee. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration announced the recruitment of 700 new staff for the CGRS, the Immigration Office and Fedasil and published a vacancy notice in June 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration extended the transfer period from 6 months to 18 months for applicants in the Dublin procedure who refused to undergo PCR testing. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
By 2022, 80 new staff members are expected to be recruited as return counsellors to organise interviews and information sessions with migrants and rejected asylum seekers living in private housing, who have recently received a return decision. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Immigration Office set up a new department for alternatives to detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A new IT system was launched in the arrival centre in Brussels to document residents in accommodation. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The French-speaking Brussels Community Commission – the francophone government of Brussels – announced that the city’s integration programme became mandatory on 1 January 2022, and those who fail to comply receive a fine. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration planned to undertake an audit of the asylum services (CGRS, Immigration Office, Fedasil and CALL) with results expected in summer 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The Council of Ministers approved in June 2021 a draft law on the organisation of CALL. The proposal aimed to increase the number of judges of CALL and simplify and optimise the appraisal procedure for staff by introducing a comprehensive system of disciplinary and policy measures for officials. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration announced that children, applicants with vulnerabilities and first-time applicants have priority to receive reception over applicants who have already sought asylum in another EU Member State. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Information provision on the asylum procedure |
The CGRS launched a new website to inform applicants on the asylum procedure and their rights and obligations within the procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Fedasil launched a seven-module training programme for managers and training in breathing techniques for staff working in reception centres to support their emotional resilience. The content of the training on dealing with aggression was expanded. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The notification of negative decisions was temporarily suspended for applicants from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the suspension was fully lifted on 2 March 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The Belgian CALL announced that from March 2022 procedural documents can be submitted online. Documents can be sent electronically via J-box, an alternative to traditional registered mail, and for an appeal in a special procedure, this option replaced the traditional submission by fax. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The CGRS published updates on the processing of applications filed by Palestinians. For Palestinians for whom a particular individual well-founded fear of persecution is not established and who depend on assistance from the UNRWA, it must be checked if the individual can still count on assistance from the UNRWA. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The Netherlands and Belgium concluded an agreement to replace PCR tests by a quarantine before departure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Institutional |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The new Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU, Bundesagentur für Betreuungs- und Unterstützungsleistungen GmbH) started its activities related to legal advice and representation, translation and interpretation services, advice and counselling on returns and human rights monitoring on 1 January 2021. All legal advisors received specialised training on quality assurance. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |