|
Slovakia |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Slovakia established a new quality assurance mechanism for the asylum procedure, to be carried out every 6 months or on an ad hoc basis. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Institutional |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration announced that it considered plans to merge the Immigration Office, the CGRS and Fedasil. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A survey commissioned by the Ministry of the Interior in 2018 was finalised, examining the asylum procedure as a whole (including the practices of the administrative courts) and cooperation between the different authorities. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Switzerland |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Since 1 March 2019, the asylum procedure has been organised into six asylum regions. Each of these regions has a federal asylum centre which conducts the asylum procedure. Supporting divisions remain at the headquarters. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
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 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Immigration Service suspended the pronouncement of negative decisions on removals to Afghanistan on 9 July 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
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 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Specific implementation guidelines to improve the quality of first instance decisions were sent to police headquarters (questure) and Territorial Commissions by the National Commission for the Right to Asylum. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Latvia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Asylum authorities considered that there was no need to provide the personal interview if the Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs had proof to grant refugee status. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Council of State suspended the project which aimed to pilot the use of videoconferencing in open centres. This is due to the fact that the Royal Decree on the functioning of the CGRS does not mention this among the competencies of the authority. The project can only continue once the Royal Decree is amended. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Cyprus |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The asylum services prioritised applications submitted in detention and at police stations. Due to an increase of the number of applicants from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and from other African countries, Cyprus examined these applications with priority. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Hungary |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The definition of a particular social group changed under Asylum Law, Article 64(1d): before the two elements (common characteristics, distinct identity in the relevant country) were alternative, divided by an or, now and and links them and the two elements are cumulative. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Ireland |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Office implemented a new case load management system. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The PBGB may now publish the application number and the title of the decision on its website and do not notify the decision in another manner when the applicant's location is unknown or when there is an emergency situation. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Spain |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Case-handling guidelines were issued, for example based on gender, credibility and assessment of medical reports. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
France |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Interviewing practices were adjusted so the presence of only one lawyer or representative of an accredited association is authorised, and trainee lawyers and interns are prohibited from accompanying their supervisor. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Institutional |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The new Section V (Immigration) was established within the Federal Ministry of the Interior after an organisational restructuring. The new section brings together resources and knowledge on affairs related to asylum and immigration, including border control, Aliens Police, reception, residency, citizenship and return. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Greece |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Decision on the procedure for issuing travel documents to refugee beneficiaries. |
EL LEG 01 2019 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
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 |
|
Netherlands |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
When assessing the recast Qualification Directive, Article 15(c) criteria on whether there is serious and individual threat to a civilian's life or person by reason of indiscriminate violence in situations of international or internal armed conflict, the IND needs to take into account whether there is a basic security structure present in the country of origin or in a specific area of the country. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Germany |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The German parliament adopted a bill providing for the possibility to have the personal interview through videoconferencing and without the presence of the legal representative. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Netherlands |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
After the conclusion of the pilot project “Written Interviews” (schriftelijk horen), the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) initiated another pilot offering written interviews to Syrian, Turkish and Yemeni nationals (“Paper and Ink procedure”). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Sweden |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the examination of protection needs of Somali nationals. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
United Kingdom |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Home Office amended its guidance on assessing the ages of asylum claimants who have no valid documentary evidence of age and where their claims to be children are doubted. This included the specification that a person being assessed on their physical appearance and demeanour must appear to be at least 25 years or older to be treated as an adult. Prior to this amendment, a person needed to appear to be significantly older than 18 years to allow an assessment of age. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Sweden |
2020 |
Policy |
|
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 |