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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 Sort descending Country Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The law on the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment was amended, formalising the practice that the Ombudsperson can visit freely, unhindered and unannounced any detention facility. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Courts were added to the Computerized Asylum Service System (CASS) database and case files were incorporated in the system. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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 2021 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was updated, adding Armenia, Benin, Kenya, Kosovo, Moldova, Mongolia and Togo. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Development of a screening system for vulnerable applicants was developed in the First Reception Centre “Pournara”, with the tool waiting to be implemented in practice. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The reorganisation of the Asylum Service was ongoing, including the asylum administration and the ministry. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The rules of procedures of the Administrative Court for International Protection (IPAC) were amended making the applicant's presence before the court mandatory, whether in person or represented by a lawyer, without which the appeal could be rejected, except in situations of force majeure. Applicants or their lawyer now have a maximum of 10 minutes to present their supporting arguments, unless extended by the court when deemed necessary. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A Quality Control Unit was established within the Asylum Service, with participation of experts from the Asylum Service, EASO and UNHCR. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Amendments entered into force allowing the Head of the Asylum Office to issue a deportation or removal order jointly with a negative decision when deciding on an application for international protection. Both decisions, which are no longer separate administrative acts, can be challenged before the International Protection Administrative Court and the suspensive effect may be automatic. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Authorities started working on the development of an overall integrated national reception strategy. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The forms of notification for rejected applicants for international protection were amended to include information on their rights for effective remedy, timelines and programmes available for voluntary and assisted return operations. 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 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Asylum Service was reinforced with additional staff in order to manage the increasing pressures on the asylum and reception systems. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Law on the Establishment and Operation of the Administrative Court was amended introducing an automatic suspensive effect for an appeal against a return decision, deportation order and removal order. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Cypriot Council of Ministers approved the establishment of an inter-ministerial committee mandated to suggest specific responses and management measures to address the emergency resulting from increased migration flows; a management unit with operational facilities; and a contingency plan for the irregular arrival of third-country nationals by sea or through the Green Line. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The National Plan on the Integration of Migrants of the Republic of Cyprus was released for public consultation at the end of 2020. 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 2019 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The AMIF project established the national forced return monitoring system, conducted by the Commissioner for Administration and Protection of Human Rights Ombudsman. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Institutional Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Asylum Service established new sectors which are responsible for the reception of applicants for international protection. The implementation and operationalisation of a reception allocation bureau was planned in the First Reception Centre Pournara to collect statistics, follow in- and outflow, and gather information on residences of applicants who are leaving the centre. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the police and the Social Welfare Service on the referral, handling, protection and briefing of potential and recognised victims of trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
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 2022 Policy Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The time limit for the International Protection Administrative Court to issue a decision on an appeal is 7 days from the registration of the appeal with the court. An appeal against such decisions must be lodged within 10 days from the notification. If the challenged decision is a detention order, the IPAC must issue its decision within 2 days. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Cyprus Flag Cyprus 2021 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Deputy Minister for Social Welfare, the Minister for Justice and the police signed a memorandum in Cyprus to strengthen cooperation for the referral and support to survivors of human trafficking. The national reception strategy also established assessments and referral mechanisms as core objectives. EUAA Asylum Report 2022