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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 Sort descending Source
Belgium Flag Belgium 2019 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The CGRS in Belgium continued to give refugee status to minor girls with a well-founded fear of persecution due to female genital mutilation, but parents were no longer granted derived refugee status automatically and needed to submit a separate request for regularisation. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Belgium Flag Belgium 2021 Policy Information provision on the asylum procedure 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 Flag Belgium 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance 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 Flag Belgium 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The CGRS updated its guide for unaccompanied minors applying for international protection and published two new guides on accompanied children’s right to be heard in the asylum procedure (one for children, one for parents or guardians). EASO Asylum Report 2020
Belgium Flag Belgium 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The CGRS, in cooperation with the Guardianship Service, organised several training sessions for guardians on the asylum procedure for unaccompanied minors. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Chairperson of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal issued a new Guideline on Taking Evidence from Appellants and Other Witnesses. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
France Flag France 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The CNDA updated its assessment of indiscriminate violence resulting from a situation of armed conflict which prevailed in 12 regions of Somalia. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The COA and the National Council on Swimming Security signed the National Action Plan of Swimming Security for Asylum Seekers. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The COA developed a comic strip for minor applicants about everyday life in a reception centre, appointed a contact person and organised swimming lessons for children. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The COA launched a pilot project in Utrecht for beneficiaries of international protection, where beneficiaries combine studying and apprenticeship in a 2-year programme to become COA employees. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Access to information Access to information The COA published a new brochure for employers Newcomers on their way to work - Guide for employers, providing information to facilitate the employment of beneficiaries of international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The COA published its new multiannual strategy, which defines its measurable targets for the next 5 years. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The COA significantly increased the number of reception places. It expressed several times the urgent need for more places. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The coalition agreement foresees changes in the financing of the reception system, to make it more efficient. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Germany Flag Germany 2021 Policy Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The coalition agreement foresees to expand both the access to and the scope of residence permits for all undocumented people living in the country, including stateless individuals. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Germany Flag Germany 2021 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The coalition agreement set out to closely monitor the use of interpreters for LGBTIQ applicants for international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Institutional Country of origin information Country of origin information The COI Unit became part of the newly-established Section for Information Analysis of the Swedish Migration Agency. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Germany Flag Germany 2021 Policy Country of origin information Country of origin information The COI unit employed more country analysts and formed new regional teams, resulting in a larger production of new country reports. The production line of COI reports was streamlined and an internal peer review was introduced amongst the regional analyst teams. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The composition of the Administrative Court of International Protection was amended, and the number of judges increased first from 3 to 5, then from 5 to 10. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The concept for a new reception and accommodation model (the idea of creating a new model) was approved in Lithuania, and the Ministry of the Interior started the preparations for the necessary legislation. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The concept of closed controlled island structures (KEDN) was clarified. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The control boards (regietafel) moved to the next implementation phase and continued to ensure that all information is available on the specific individual cases, before they entered the phase of the regular procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Council for Child Protection (Raad voor Kinderbescherming, RvdK), the IND and the DT&V set up a permanent partnership under the name Cooperation for Children in Foreigners' Policy (Samenwerkingsverband Kinderen in het Vreemdelingenbeleid, SKIV). EASO Asylum Report 2021
Italy Flag Italy 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Council of Ministers adopted a protocol between the government and regions, the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano and local authorities to harmonise the implementation of a multi-disciplinary age-assessment procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Policy Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The Council of Ministers adopted the draft royal decree establishing a list of safe countries of origin. The draft did not include any changes to the list of safe countries from the previous year. EASO Asylum Report 2021