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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 Sort ascending Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Latvia Flag Latvia 2022 Institutional Information provision on the asylum procedure Information provision on the asylum procedure The Office of Citizenship and Migration Affairs developed new leaflets and piloted a hotline to provide information on the asylum procedure. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The government pledged to introduce a new legal status for stateless persons which would give them the right to legally reside in Belgium if they cannot return to their country of habitual residence. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Finland Flag Finland 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Border Guard Act was amended to allow the authorities to centralise the reception of applicants at the border during an exceptionally high number of arrivals. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Greece Flag Greece 2022 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A new registration procedure was introduced for first-time applicants through Circular 5049/2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Italy revised its list of safe countries of origin, de facto suspending Ukraine. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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
Portugal Flag Portugal 2022 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The revised Nationality Regulation entered into force, which facilitates acquiring citizenship for children born in Portugal to applicants or beneficiaries of international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Spain Flag Spain 2022 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Spanish Ministry of Justice approved a preliminary draft of a new law on age assessments. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Fedasil concluded a cooperation agreement with the construction sector to orient asylum applicants towards employment in construction. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Evidentiary requirements were lightened from women and girl applicants from Afghanistan. International protection was granted in all relevant cases and rejected cases were reopened. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services BAMF published a brochure for interpreters with information and recommendations for successful interpretation, a new webpage on interpretation in the asylum procedure, a bilingual terminology list on sexual orientation and gender identity, and an updated version of the booklet for interpreters. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2022 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Immigration detention facilities became operational at Dublin airport. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Several measures were introduced to speed up the registration process of certain profiles (Afghan evacuees, family members arriving through family reunification and applicants with appointments) and alleviate pressure on the central reception facility in Ter Apel. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Temporary measures aimed to restrict family reunification until 31 December 2023. A visa was only issued to a family member when the assigned municipality notified that suitable accommodation had been found for the recognised beneficiary and the family members planning to join. Following Council of State rulings, the measure was abolished in February 2023. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The asylum and reception contingency plan was revised to address the arrival of persons in need of temporary protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The government appointed an inquiry commission to assess making language knowledge and knowledge of the Swedish society requirements for acquiring permanent residence in Sweden. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The German Federal Ministry of the Interior increased its financial support to municipalities which accommodate applicants for international protection and beneficiaries of temporary protection. The federal government also provided federal buildings to municipalities to be used as reception facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Belgian Council of Ministers approved the structure of the new Migration Code. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Estonia Flag Estonia 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Ukraine was removed from the list of safe countries of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Germany Flag Germany 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Act on the Acceleration of Asylum Court Proceedings and the Asylum Procedure abandoned the routine revision of the international protection status 3 years after the first final decision. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services A reform of administrative procedures, including asylum procedures, provides for professional interpretation to persons who do not speak Icelandic. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2022 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was amended through the Grand-Ducal Regulation of 23 January 2023. Ukraine and Croatia were removed from the list and the name of the Republic of North Macedonia was adapted. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Poland Flag Poland 2022 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The special rules on the duration of material reception conditions connected with the COVID-19 pandemic were repealed. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Spain Flag Spain 2022 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum A Royal Decree was adopted which guarantees stateless persons access to the national reception system for the duration of the Stateless Determination Procedure. This will ensure that children in the Stateless Determination Procedure have access to education and other integration programmes. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection 4,000 places were created in the reception system throughout 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2023