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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 Thematic area Sort descending Development Source
Finland Flag Finland 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new act entered into force regulating the processing of personal data by all authorities involved in migration affairs. Corresponding amendments were made in the Reception Act, the Immigration Detention Act, the Integration Act and the Citizenship Act. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Office of the Refugee Commissioner started implementing changes to reporting on case allocation and backlog. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Poland Flag Poland 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Department for Refugee Proceedings at the Office for Foreigners was reorganised with more specialised teams to work with specific categories of applicants, such as detained applicants or applicants from specific countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Asylum Service was reinforced with additional staff in order to manage the increasing pressures on the asylum and reception systems. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Germany Flag Germany 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance BAMF implemented the XAVIA project to ensure that all information related to asylum cases is shared electronically among public authorities. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Hungary Flag Hungary 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Hungarian Immigration and Asylum Office (IAO) was transformed into the National Directorate-General for Aliens Policing (NDGAP) and is now under the management of the Police. EASO Asylum Report 2020
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
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
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance New guidelines were issued on evidence assessments. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency adopted guidelines on the applications of the recast Qualification Directive Article 15(c) focusing on the regions of the Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kardofan. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The task force managing the asylum backlog was integrated into the IND. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The notification of negative decisions for Afghan applicants was suspended between July 2021 and January 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the application of the ECHR, Article 3 in the assessment of an asylum application when an illness is invoked. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Croatia is developing and implementing a new IT application (RECORD) with AMIF funding that aims to improve the quality of collecting, managing, processing, monitoring and reporting data in the field of international protection. Funds for the implementation of the project proposal were approved on 23 November 2020. Iin April 2021, the technical specifications for the project were being drafted. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
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
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A temporary Council of Ministers for Immigrants and Refugees was appointed by proposal of the Prime Minister and approval of the government. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Spain Flag Spain 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The number of staff working on asylum was increased. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Information related to the lodging and examination of an application for asylum may be classified in accordance with the procedure established by the Law of the Republic of Lithuania on State Secrets and Official Secrets. LT LEG 01 2019
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency introduced a policy to optimise case management in an effort to address the considerable backlog of pending cases, including a minimum quota for case officers to conduct interviews and submit assessments, a rule to hold one interview where all information is collected, and electronic ways of communicating notifications for interviews. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Austria's new coalition government announced in January 2020 in its programme for the new government (2020-2024) to work on a comprehensive strategy on migration, based on a clear separation of migration and asylum. The programme foresees shortening and modernising asylum procedures. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A legal amendment explicitly allowed the CGRS to organise interviews through videoconference for applicants for international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Asylum Service were in the process of digitalising and some of the following procedures can now be done online: submit the full registration (lodging) for pre-registered applicants, request to change the date of the interview, request to change the personal data or contact information, request a statement on the application status, submit additional documents, apply for legal aid and apply for a Provisional Social Security and Health Care Number. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Germany announced adapting its policy on women and girls from Afghanistan. EUAA Asylum Report 2023