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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 Sort descending Year Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The method of issuing or extending residence permits for beneficiaries of international protection were simplified. The documents are no longer re-issued and a new expiration date is noted directly on the existing permit. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The non-refoulement check within the return decision procedure was simplified. The check is no longer required for persons from safe countries of origin, unless the person states that in his/her specific case there are concerns about his/her safety in case of return. CZ LEG 01 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of international protection who would like to obtain a long-term permanent residence after 5 years of continuous residence in Czechia, must take a Czech language exam at A2 level instead of A1. Persons issued a long-term residence permit must complete within a year a 4-hour integration course on their rights and obligations, fundamental values, everyday life, culture and traditions. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A new alternative to detention was approved, involving stays at a designated residence with regular checks. CZ LEG 01 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2022 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The reasons for excluding from or ending international protection were expanded following a legislative amendment. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs expanded its projects providing individual counselling for applicants. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Access to information Access to information Free legal advice must be available in each asylum facility. CZ LEG 01 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Czech Ministry of Labour updated its guidelines and clarified that public employment services may provide special, employment-related language courses to beneficiaries of international protection to improve their employment chances. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The 14 Regional Integration Centres in Czechia continued their work in 2020 and their funding was secured for 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Department for Asylum and Migration Policy of the Ministry of Interior launched a pilot project using non-medical methods for age assessment. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Ministry of the Interior launched a mapping project on the situation of child trafficking and created ""Human Trafficking Indicators Cards"" to help professionals better identify possible victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications 12 new countries were added to the national list of safe countries of origin: Algeria, Australia, Canada, Ghana, Georgia (excluding Abkhazia and South Ossetia), India, Moldova (excluding Transnistria), Morocco, New Zealand, Senegal, Tunisia and Ukraine (excluding Doneck and Luhansk Districts). CZ LEG 02 2019
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new reception centre in B?lá pod Bezd?zem, with 186 places, was opened. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The time limit for the accelerated procedure for international protection was extended from 30 to 90 days. CZ LEG 01 2019
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Danish Agency for International Recruitment and Integration (SIRI) published a new information package for social workers in local authorities on providing specialised employment support to refugee and migrant women. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of Immigration and Integration Affairs published the progress report for 2020 on the Integration Action Plan. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Danish Immigration Services launched a tender and opened a reception centre for applicants with special needs, including those suffering from mental and physical disabilities, mental illnesses, trauma or substance abuse. 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
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Minister for Immigration and Integration decided that the processing of cases for persons with temporary residence permits which were granted on the grounds of the general circumstances in the Damascus area should be accelerated. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2019 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection An amendment was made to the criteria for assessing derivative circumstances for cessation, and residence permits of refugees and their family members may be revoked in a wider range of circumstances. DK LEG 01 2019
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Return Act (Hjemrejseloven), the first consolidated law in the field of return, came into force on 1 June 2021. The mandate and responsibilities of the Danish Return Agency are formalised in the act. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2022 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Legislative amendments proposed to deport foreigners who are sentenced to an unconditional prison sentence, regardless of the duration of their stay in the country. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Denmark Flag Denmark 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Refugee Board decided in December 2021 to suspend the processing of cases for Ethiopian nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Danish Immigration Service took over some responsibilities of the registration process from the police. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Denmark Flag Denmark 2020 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Integration Action Plan 2020 was launched in December 2020, presenting the most important initiatives from 2020 and highlighting some of the future priorities. EASO Asylum Report 2021