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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 Sort ascending Thematic area Development Source
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Amendments updated the definitions for the terms 'safe country of origin' and 'safe third country' and additional guarantees were added in the law, as foreseen in the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The court has to decide ex officio or at the request of the applicant on the right to stay during an appeal against the rejection of a subsequent application. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended in a comprehensive manner to bring national legislation more in line with the recast Asylum Procedures Directive. For example, the law allows for gathering expert opinions on a larger range of issues. It provides guidance on gathering and using information for the assessment of a case. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The time limits for appeal were clarified and a new paragraph was added which underlines that the court decides exofficio or at the applicants request on their right to remain when the appeal concerns a rejected subsequent application. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A draft law aims to amend the Law on Foreigners in the Republic of Bulgaria, including, for example, shorter time limits for appealing decisions on pre-removal detention. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Following amendments, the Law on Asylum and Refugees clearly states that state authorities have an obligation to ensure asylym applicants' access to legal aid. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum An amendment to the Law on Foreigners was adopted which introduced new grounds for refusing to grant stateless status. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The amendments to the Law on Asylum and Refugees in Bulgaria added two new circumstances when international protection status ceases: when a beneficiary passes away or when a person refuses expressly to be recognised as a beneficiary of international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Law on Foreigners was amended to provide clarification on the return procedure. For example, the country to which a return is to be executed must be indicated in the return decision. Automatic suspensive effect was introduced for an appeal which is filed against an expulsion order issued on the grounds of serious threat to public order. In addition, if it is established by a judicial act that a foreigner subject to a removal order cannot be returned to a country due to a risk to the person's life and liberty or persecution, torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, an order must be issued which explicitly states the prohibition of return and the state to which the foreigner should not be returned. This order is not subject to appeal. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended to address shortcomings in the identification, legal representation and age assessment procedure for unaccompanied children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Amendments to the Aliens Act extended the scope of persons who can receive a temporary resedence permit on humanitarian grounds. These persons have the right to work without an additional work permit or authorisation, to attend vocational training and enrol in education. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications A Ministerial Decision established a list of safe countries of origin. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications An amendment specified that an application could be examined under the accelerated procedure, and its examination is to be prioritised within 30 days from its lodging. This time limit can be extended up to 2 months. The time limit for lodging an appeal against a negative decision is 15 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications When a subsequent application is deemed to be inadmissible, the appeal needs to be lodged within 15 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The asylum authority may reject an application and issue at the same time a return, removal or expulsion order in a single administrative act. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The House of Representatives adopted an amendment to the Constitution, allowing for an exception from the general 75-day time limit for an appeal against a negative decision of the Asylum Service before the Administrative Court. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance An amendment clarified that an appeal against a rejection of the asylum application together with a return, removal or expulsion order has suspensive effect. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The time limits to lodge an appeal against a final decision of the Asylum Service in front of the Administrative Court for International Protection were amended: 30 days for the regular procedure and 15 days for the accelerated procedure. The time limits to launch an appeal against a decision of the International Protection Administrative Court was reduced to 14 days from 42 days. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Ministerial Decision defined the provision of material reception conditions in cash. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2020 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum A new legislative proposal was presented to the Parliament, which includes among other aspects of the asylum procedure, the establishment of a statelessness determination procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Danish Immigration Service took over some responsibilities of the registration process from the police. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Danish parliament adopted a bill introducing the possibility to transfer asylum applicants for adjudication of asylum claims and subsequent protection in third countries. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens was amended allowing to extend the registration time limit to 10 working days exceptionally in emergency situations. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Estonia Flag Estonia 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The amendment of the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens clarified that the PBGB must update the list of safe countries of origin at least once a year. EASO Asylum Report 2021