|
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 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A standard form was optimised to submit a subsequent application to further streamline the process. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
The list of safe countries of origin was entirely revised following a decision of the Council of State. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
Humanitarian admission was pledged for 3,159 Afghans in 2021 and 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Romania |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
A card document for asylum seekers was introduced, intended to prevent the circulation of forged documents. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Spain |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Ministry of Universities issued a new decree on the recognition procedure for foreign degrees and shortened the procedure to 6 months |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Sweden |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Swedish Migration Agency issued a new legal position on statements by children in which it clarified the circumstances when and the ways in which children should be heard during the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The length of the obligatory orientation course for beneficiaries of international protection was extended from 8 to 24 hours to include modules on gender equality, antisemitism and the importance of voluntary work. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Cyprus |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The government took action toward increasing its reception capacity dedicated to unaccompanied children. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
The implementation of Article 90(3) and (5) of Law No 4636/2019 on the exceptional border procedure that applies to third-country nationals in Reception and Identification Centres in Lesvos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos was extended until 31 December 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Lithuania |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
Authorities declared a state of emergency applicable to the entire border section with Belarus and 5 kilometres from it. Measures included the substantial closure of the border, limited access to emergency areas to permit holders, and limited access by foreigners. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The Statelessness Determination Procedure Act was discussed by the parliament. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovenia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Information provision on the asylum procedure |
Information on the consequences of arbitrarily leaving the asylum centre’s admission facility is now provided by the police during preliminary proceedings. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Switzerland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
Amendments to LASi provide for access to free legal counselling or representation after an asylum applicant has been transferred to a canton if the services were received while accommodated in a federal centre. The legislative amendment is expected to enter into force in 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration extended the transfer period from 6 months to 18 months for applicants in the Dublin procedure who refused to undergo PCR testing. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Bulgarian Ministry of Labour and Social Policy extended its refugee employment and training programme for 2021-2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Denmark |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
In October 2021, the Danish Refugee Board decided to review cases for citizens of the Democratic Republic of the Congo who were about to be deported, in light of a report by the Swedish Migration Agency of 24 June 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
France |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The launching of the AGIR programme was announced, proposing individualised, 20-month integration pathways to all beneficiaries of international protection, with a focus on housing and employment. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Iceland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
Ukraine was removed from the list of safe countries (decision published in February 2022). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Ireland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
As part of the reform of the reception system, the IPAS announced the development of a new LGBTIQ resident policy, including accommodation for transgender applicants. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
UNHCR and the Italian National Commission for Asylum published new guidelines for the identification of victims of trafficking in an effort to standardise the procedure across territorial commissions. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
The government pledged to receive 90 Afghan nationals at risk, including girls, women, former judges and human rights activists during 2021 and 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The International Protection Agency and AWAS signed a memorandum of understanding on the medical referral of applicants claiming to be survivors of FGM/C. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The requirements were changed for the documents to be presented by Lebanese Palestinians for the registration of statelessness. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Portugal |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Initiatives to increase reception capacity and open new centres continued. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |