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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
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia were added to the list of safe countries of origin. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The International Protection Act set in law the grounds and procedures for granting, excluding or revoking Temporary Humanitarian Status. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Criteria for the Specific Residence Authorisation (SRA) policy was modified. 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
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A new provision regarding the cessation of international protection (unequivocal renunciation) was added to the Procedural Standards for Granting and Withdrawing International Protection Regulations. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The AWAS reduced the length of contracts signed with male adult applicants for their accommodation from 1 year to 6 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A new regulation sets out the operation and work process of the interdisciplinary commission to evaluate the best interests of unaccompanied minors in a return decision. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance A draft amendment of the Law on international protection and on temporary protection would introduce changes to appeal possibilities against a decision to withdraw international protection. The amendment would align appeals against withdrawals with those against refusals in the normal procedure for greater harmony, whereas currently an appeal against withdrawals falls under common law. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment to the Immigration Law was presented to the parliament, which aimed to simplify the family reunification procedure in general and to extend the time limit for facilitated family reunification criteria for beneficiaries of international protection from 3 months to 6 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new arrival centre opened in Luxembourg City, where all asylum and reception stakeholders are present at the same location. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A draft law would amend the Law on international protection and temporary protection by extending the group of officers of the Grand Ducal Police authorised to carry out checks required in the context of the submission of an application for international protection. It is proposed to confer this power to all members of the Grand Ducal Police, whereas at present, this task is exclusively reserved for members of the judicial police service. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of Education, Childhood and Youth published a guide addressed to professionals working with newly-arrived foreign students, with a specific section on minors who are applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The reform of the Integration Act is foreseen, and the Minister for Families and Integration launched a public consultation. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure A draft law would modify the remedy system available for the The Dublin procedure to ensure the efficiency of the procedure, while keeping legal guarantees at the maximum level. It would modify and align the time limits and methods of appeal. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2020 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection On 1 January 2020, the National Reception Office (ONA), which is under the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, replaced the Luxembourg Office for Reception and Integration (OLAI) for the reception of asylum applications. The responsibility for integration was transferred to the Ministry of Family Affairs, Integration and the Greater Region under the Department for Integration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A new alternative to detention was introduced, limiting the right to free movement to the territory of the accommodation facility. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners was amended and states that all asylum-related decisions must be issued within 6 months. When the court returns the case, the deadline is 3 months. The examination of an asylum application is terminated without prior suspension when the applicant absconds. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The State Border Guard Service (SBGS) and the Lithuanian Red Cross Society signed a cooperation agreement to provide psychological, social, legal and other assistance to foreigners, regardless of their legal status. Lawyers from the Lithuanian Red Cross Society can also access the Foreigners Registration Centre Pabrade to provide legal assistance, when the SBGS is informed in advance. Upon request, lawyers can also provide legal assistance in border control areas. Also upon request, specialists provide support for family reunification for foreigners residing in the FRC. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Applications in the accelerated procedure are processed within 10 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A questionnaire was developed and is provided to rejected applicants to assess their willingness for voluntary return. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants New criteria were added for assessing whether there was a risk of absconding. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The amendments guaranteed free legal aid throughout the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The time limit for lodging an appeal against a decision in the accelerated procedure was reduced to 7 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of Social Security and Labour signed a cooperation agreement with the Mykolas Romeris University to provide English or Lithuanian language courses for selected beneficiaries of international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The decision on which procedure the applicant follows must be made within 2 working days and no sperate decision is issued on this, but the case officer communicates this during the interview. The decision on admissibility is issued within 3 working days from the registration of the application. EASO Asylum Report 2021