Skip to main content

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 Sort ascending Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Under Asylum Law, Article 15, the threshold to exclude a person from subsidiary protection became lower: instead of violating national security, it is enough if the person's stay in the country endangers national security. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance 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
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Asylum Law, Article 75/A included hosted persons (national form of protection) in the rules for reviewing the protection status. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Government Decree No 411/2020 (VIII.30.) extended the validity of Government Decree No 41/2016 (III.9.) until 7 March 2021, stating that there is a continued state of crisis caused by mass migration. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Article 80/K(11) now also includes persons whose status ceased or was revoked, meaning that when they submit a subsequent application under the rules applicable during a state of crisis caused by mass migration, they will not be entitled to a residence permit, material reception conditions or access to work. Previously this section included only persons whose application was rejected or terminated with a final decision. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Asylum Law, Article 31/A(1a) was amended: It was added that there needs to be a risk of absconding, in order to take a foreigner into detention, when he/she did not apply for asylum and the Dublin III Regulation might apply. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Hungary Flag Hungary 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Asylum Law, Article 31/A(10) was amended: It was added that asylum detention can also take place - in exceptional cases - in a health care institution. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Iceland Flag Iceland 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications A draft law would add a new Article 35a defining subsequent applications and noting that negative decisions for subsequent applications are automatically reviewed by the Immigration Appeals Board, unless the applicant specifically request otherwise. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Iceland Flag Iceland 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Immigration Appeals Board's rules of procedure were amended, defining practices that have emerged in the past 3 years. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Iceland Flag Iceland 2020 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum Iceland acceded to the 1954 Convention Relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness in the context of asylum. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The Withdrawal of the UK from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Act 2020 introduced the concept of a safe third country into the International Protection Act 2015 and enabled the Minister for Justice to designate by order a country as a safe third country. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The UK was designated as a safe third country. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The UK and Northern Ireland were added to the list of safe countries of origin. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants An amendment to the Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum Procedures Act, promulgated on 23 December 2020, requires mandatory return counselling sessions to be held at an advanced stage of the procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The responsibility for return counselling and return assistance was shifted to the Federal Agency for Care and Support Services as of 1 January 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The BFA Procedures Law and the Asylum Law were temporarily amended until 31 December 2020, so that unaccompanied minors can be transferred directly to a regional directorate or field office to launch an asylum application, without passing through a first reception centre. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The scope of the term family was widened. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The new Royal Decree establishing the list of safe countries of origin entered into force. The list itself includes the same countries. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Council of Ministers approved a law proposal and a draft royal decree, which aims to adapt the working methods of the CALL to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments concern the electronic communication of procedural documents and the written procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Belgium adopted an exceptional regulation which temporarily allowed an additional procedural document to be submitted when the appeal was restricted to a written procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection In order to fill gaps in labour market shortages caused by the pandemic, applicants were exceptionally exempted from the 4-month waiting period until 30 June 2020. In view of the continuing shortage of workers in some sectors due to the closing of the borders, this measure was resumed from December 2020 until 30 June 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Flemish government adopted a new integration path for newcomers which includes four components (language learning, economic autonomy, social orientation and sponsorship by a Flemish 'buddy') and will conclude with an exam. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Bulgaria Flag Bulgaria 2020 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Some processes related to decisions on Dublin cases were clarified, with the aim to have a more efficient and timely procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
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