|
Netherlands |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The Statelessness Determination Procedure Act was discussed by the parliament. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The National Asylum Seekers Management System (NASMS) was improved to better communicate information on individual cases between the International Protection Agency and the International Protection Appeals Tribunal. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Minor Protection (Alternative Care) Act was amended in 2021 to avoid the potential conflict of interest that was embedded in the previous practice, when social workers and guardians belonged to the same institution. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency’s interpreters are bound by a code of conduct to increase professionalism and performance since 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency adopted guidelines on the application of the recast Qualification Directive Articles 15(b) and 15(c) for applicants from Libya. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency introduced regular and routine reflective meetings on the quality of asylum procedure, and set up the Quality Control Unit with EUAA support. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
Several changes were made to practices to improve access to the asylum procedure, which included improvements to office premises, streamlining registration and lodging procedures, issuing updated registration guidelines, and providing information on specialised services to applicants with a sexual orientation or gender identity claim. Improvements to the electronic database were also made in order to further streamline registration and lodging procedures. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The authorities focused on enforcing contracts signed with applicants for their accommodation to ensure that reception spaces are swiftly available. When appointments are not respected or when there are clear indications that the applicant abandoned the asylum procedure, the International Protection Agency considers the application implicitly withdrawn and informs AWAS, which terminates the reception contract. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency (IPA) issued instructions that children between 2 and 10 years could not accompany their parents to the personal interview at the IPA’s premises. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A new legal provision notes that only the International Protection Agency can designate a country as a safe country of origin, and it must be included in the Schedule to the International Protection Act. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency adopted guidelines on the applications of the recast Qualification Directive Article 15(c) focusing on the regions of the Darfur, Blue Nile and South Kardofan. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency introduced a policy to optimise case management in an effort to address the considerable backlog of pending cases, including a minimum quota for case officers to conduct interviews and submit assessments, a rule to hold one interview where all information is collected, and electronic ways of communicating notifications for interviews. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
Authorities expressed the view that cooperation on returns to Libya is indispensable for the effective management of sea arrivals. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The employment policy was amended so applicants from a safe country of origin or in the Dublin procedure can access the labour market after 9 months from the lodging of their application for international protection, while other applicants are able to work legally as soon as their asylum application is confirmed. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency issued internal guidelines, which were formally adopted in 2020 and implemented in 2021, on interviewing and assessing applications based on sexual orientation and gender identity. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Amendments to the Maltese Reception Regulations provided a more comprehensive transposition of the provisions in the recast Reception Directive on material reception conditions for vulnerable applicants. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency drafted guidelines on the involvement and conduct of legal representatives (NGOs or private lawyers) during an asylum interview, allowing lawyers to intervene at certain parts of the interview and limiting their presence in cases of disruptive behaviour. A lawyer can submit supplementary statements within 5 days after the interview. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The International Protection Agency initiated a process to digitise all physical case files and transition towards an electronic filing system. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
A standard form was optimised to submit a subsequent application to further streamline the process. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Malta |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The International Protection Agency and AWAS signed a memorandum of understanding on the medical referral of applicants claiming to be survivors of FGM/C. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Reception structures by type of procedure were established in the initial reception system. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Amendments were introduced to the amended Immigration Law of 2008 to ensure a more effective management of the removal of third-country nationals who are illegally residing in Luxembourg. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A complete IT overhaul was implemented in the reception system. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Cases lodged by Afghan nationals were processed where the need for protection was evident, so only positive decisions were issued, as well as inadmissible and Dublin decisions, while negative decisions were suspended. From the end of January 2022, the examination of these cases resumed, and the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum scheduled applicants for a complementary interview to discuss changes in their situation if the initial interview was done before 15 August 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Luxembourg |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
A modification to the Asylum Law came into force in July 2021. An appeal against a Dublin transfer decision means an automatic suspension of the transfer until the administrative court takes a final decision within 1 month. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |