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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 ascending Source
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the assessment of applications for international protection lodged by Syrian nationals. The SMA considered that Syrians summoned for military service or who deserted ran a general risk of persecution. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the application of the ECHR, Article 3 in the assessment of an asylum application when an illness is invoked. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on practical obstacles to the implementation and enforcement of returns. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on interviewing children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on derived protection status. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position regarding certain Yemeni passports. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the requirements for interpreters and translators to work in the asylum context. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the examination of the right to permanent residence permit under the Temporary Act for beneficiaries of international protection who are able to financially maintain themselves. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the competency check of interpreters and translators. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on the applicability of the Dublin III Regulation vis-a-vis the United Kingdom after 31 December 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal position on Palestinian passports and their assessment within the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal comment on Sudan leading to the temporary suspension of returns to the country. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal comment on detainees who are or will be subject to another form of deprivation of liberty (RK/001/2022). EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish Migration Agency published a legal comment (RK/002/2022) on the interpretation of CJEU C-441/19 by which the court ruled that, before issuing a return decision for an unaccompanied minor, Member States must confirm that there are adequate reception facilities for minors in the state of return. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency provided clarification on the application of the economic requirement for family reunification, explaining in which cases beneficiaries of international protection and children are exempted from these rules. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The Swedish Migration Agency proposed 8 countries to be considered safe countries of origin: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chile, Kosovo, Mongolia, Northern Macedonia, Serbia and USA. The new list is foreseen to enter into force on 1 May 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Swedish Migration Agency launched a portal allowing legal counsellors to submit appeals against first instance decisions electronically. Another pilot continued, in cooperation with the Swedish National Courts Administration, to digitally transfer appeals between the agency and the courts. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency issued a new legal position to clarify that municipalities and regions are entitled to be reimbursed for the care of unaccompanied children from the moment they express their wish to apply for asylum. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs 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
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency issued a legal position on the relevant time for determining the age of an applicant or a sponsor, in particular in cases of family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency expanded its services in 11 new locations, where employees informed applicants about procedures and regulations, and supported them in navigating the agency’s website. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The Swedish Migration Agency developed guidance and tools on preparatory measures for refugees waiting to be resettled, as part of a pilot project to be implemented with UNHCR and IOM. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency decided to restructure its head office which would be effective in 2020, as well as restructuring and reducing the regions from five to three. The number of full-time equivalent employees was also decreased from 5 842 to 5 096. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Sweden Flag Sweden 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Swedish Migration Agency created an online training for its staff on gender-based violence within the asylum procedure. EASO Asylum Report 2020