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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
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The IND amended its policy on Sudan and previously-granted asylum permits will be reassessed if the permit was granted due to the situation in Darfur, South Kordofan and Blue Nile. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The IND launched a special project and hired additional staff to reduce the backlog in applications from unaccompanied minors and shorten the overall length of the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The IND published its updated work instructions on the border procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The IND published new work instructions on further investigation in family reunification procedures, including DNA testing in the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The IND published new work instructions on Palestinians. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Country of origin information Country of origin information The IND published new work instructions on the use of sources and country of origin information in the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The IND published new work instructions providing guidelines to implement ECHR, Article 8. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The IND published updated work instructions on working together with an interpreter. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The initial interview was dropped (combined with the application interview). During the application interview, applicants are for a brief statement on the reasons for seeking asylum. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Spain Flag Spain 2019 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The instruction granted the right to work for working-age unaccompanied minors. ES LEG 02 2019
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Integration Action Plan 2020 was launched in December 2020, presenting the most important initiatives from 2020 and highlighting some of the future priorities. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Integration Partnership Programme was launched in November 2020 to establish a nationwide network of integration and social inclusion actors. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The integration process of beneficiaries of international protection was adjusted. An individual integration plan is proposed to each beneficiary while they are still accommodated at the Refugee Reception Centre. The plan is updated once beneficiaries settle in a municipality in cooperation with the municipality's body in charge of integration. The support services are tailored to each person's specific needs and financial support is defined according to the person's progress and personal efforts EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Inter-Ministerial Information Note of 18 November 2022 includes good practices on the first assessment of health needs of people claiming to be minors during the temporary emergency reception period. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) piloted a vulnerability assessment process throughout 2021. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The International Protection Act 2015 (Section 51B)(Places of Detention) Regulations 2020 set out the places of detention for the purpose of facilitating the return of a person whose application for international protection was determined to be inadmissible and who is subject of a return order. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The International Protection Act 2015 was amended to describe arrangements that may be applied to facilitate the return of a person whose application for international protection was determined to be inadmissible, including reporting requirements, requirements to reside in a particular place, surrender of a passport or travel documents and adult's detention for a maximum of 7 days when there is a significant risk of absconding. 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 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Act was amended to clarify the criteria for exclusion from subsidiary protection, the criteria for considering an application manifestly unfounded, the subsequent application procedure, the application procedure for children in need of care and the procedure for temporary humanitarian protection (a national form of protection). EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The International Protection Act was amended to provide for the prioritisation of applications from safe countries of origin and the acceleration of appeal proceedings before the International Protection Appeals Tribunal. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency (IPA) issued instructions that children between 2 and 10 years could not accompany their parents to the personal interview at the IPA’s premises. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency adopted guidelines on the application of the recast Qualification Directive Articles 15(b) and 15(c) for applicants from Libya. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency adopted guidelines on the applications of the recast Qualification Directive Article 15(c) focusing on the regions of the Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kardofan. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs 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
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency drafted guidelines on the involvement and conduct of legal representatives (NGOs or private lawyers) during an asylum interview, allowing lawyers to intervene at certain parts of the interview and limiting their presence in cases of disruptive behaviour. A lawyer can submit supplementary statements within 5 days after the interview. EUAA Asylum Report 2022