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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 Development Source
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Cross-Party Committee of Inquiry on Migration submitted its report on a sustainable long-term migration policy, proposing several changes to the Aliens Act. This would include for example that beneficiaries of international protection would first get a temporary residence permit. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The Swedish Parliament adopted the government's proposal from December 2020 to incorporate the rules on safe countries of origin in the Aliens Act. The new rules allow the Swedish Migration Agency to consider an application manifestly unfounded if the applicant comes from a country included in the list. The amendments enter into force on 1 May 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the competency check of interpreters and translators. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published its legal position on the derivative status in asylum cases. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on interviewing children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on the assessment of applications from Turkish citizens. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A new legal position was issued to provide guidance on the assessment of the right to private and family life in the application of the temporary law, and specifically when assessing whether a decision on a foreigner's return infringes the right prescribed in Article 8. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Public Employment Service started to roll out the Intensive Year programme for newly-arrived beneficiaries of international protection, which aims to get participants in employment within a year after the completion of the comprehensive, full-time integration programme. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on Palestinian passports and their assessment within the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on practical obstacles to the implementation and enforcement of returns. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure Changes to the national legislation introduce a departure ban for children who are at risk of being taken abroad for marriage or female genital mutilation. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on considering children's age in family reunification procedures, following the CJEU's relevant judgment. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The Swedish Migration Agency proposed 8 countries to be considered safe countries of origin: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Kosovo, Mongolia, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and USA. The new list is foreseen to enter into force on 1 May 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on the assessment of cases by stateless persons, who previously had their habitual residence in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. (The legal position was repealed in 2021 and is no longer in force.) EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure National authorities were enabled to take a foreigner's photo and fingerprints at entry, exit or during internal checks for the Schengen Information System, if the person's identity cannot be identified in another manner. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position in the assessment of applications from Syria. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on the implementation of decisions related to unaccompanied children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position on the security situation in certain parts of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The Swedish Migration Agency developed guidance and tools on preparatory measures for refugees waiting to be resettled, as part of a pilot project to be implemented with UNHCR and IOM. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish government decided to finance the extension of labour market integration programmes for 12 months to support people whose programme would finish in the midst of the pandemic EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position regarding certain Yemeni passports. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The National Audit Office reviewed voluntary and forced return legislation, policy and practices and suggested that the government substantially reorganise the tasks of the authorities and the division of responsibilities. In its reply letter, the government agreed with the recommendations related to reconsidering the process of information flow among the different authorities and agreed partially with other recommendations. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The list of municipalities where applicants are not entitled to daily allowance was revised, if they choose to reside there. Out of 32 pre-identified municipalities, 23 are such areas. The changes entered into force 1 January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the examination of the right to permanent residence permit under the Temporary Act for beneficiaries of international protection who are able to financially maintain themselves. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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