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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
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Council of State suspended the project which aimed to pilot the use of videoconferencing in open centres. This is due to the fact that the Royal Decree on the functioning of the CGRS does not mention this among the competencies of the authority. The project can only continue once the Royal Decree is amended. 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 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
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Immigration Office provided detailed guidance on the exceptional circumstances to extend the validity of family reunification decisions and the validity of supporting documents. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The number of withdrawals initiated by the BFA continued to increase. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Austria Flag Austria 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Both chambers of the administrative court started deciding on asylum cases and more staff was recruited. 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 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 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Austria's new coalition government announced in January 2020 in its programme for the new government (2020-2024) to work on a comprehensive strategy on migration, based on a clear separation of migration and asylum. The programme foresees shortening and modernising asylum procedures. 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
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 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU, Bundesagentur fuer Betreuungs- und Unterstuetzungsleistungen GmbH) started its activities on 1 December 2020 related to the provision of material reception conditions. 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
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The third edition of the Indicators of Integration framework was published. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Guidance was updated on assessing applicants who are destitute and eligible for support. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The guidance on age assessment was updated. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection New guidance provided instructions to caseworkers when an asylum seeker reports an incident of domestic abuse while the application is being assessed. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Access to information Access to information Two new information guides were published on rights, expectations and support offered to applicants staying in temporary accommodation. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The government published its Integrated Communities Action Plan, which confirms the actions the government will take to deliver stronger, integrated communities. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Home Office amended its guidance on assessing the ages of asylum claimants who have no valid documentary evidence of age and where their claims to be children are doubted. This included the specification that a person being assessed on their physical appearance and demeanour must appear to be at least 25 years or older to be treated as an adult. Prior to this amendment, a person needed to appear to be significantly older than 18 years to allow an assessment of age. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions A new global resettlement scheme was announced to consolidate the three largest national programmes. EASO Asylum Report 2020
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Institutional The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Three teams from the Home Office, UK Visas and Immigration, Third Country Unit in London were transferred to Glasgow under the newly-established Home Office Immigration Enforcement Third Country Unit, taking over responsibility for Dublin out cases. The fourth team remained in London and became the Dublin Cessation Team (DCT). EASO Asylum Report 2020
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2019 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The provisions concerning the new accelerated asylum procedures entered into force on 1 March 2019, following the adoption of the new Asylum Law in September 2015, the national referendum in June 2016 and the pilot projects carried out in Zurich, Boudry and Giffers. CH LEG 01 2019
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Since 1 March 2019, the asylum procedure has been organised into six asylum regions. Each of these regions has a federal asylum centre which conducts the asylum procedure. Supporting divisions remain at the headquarters. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Swedish Migration Agency published a new handbook on human trafficking, with a part focusing on improving the identification of victims and perpetrators within the asylum procedure. The template for interviewing unaccompanied minors was updated to better detect signs of human trafficking. EASO Asylum Report 2020