|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
An amendment to the Integration Act requires the Federal Ministry for Europe, Integration and Foreign Affairs to provide German courses to a minimum B1 level to beneficiaries of international protection older than 15 years. |
AT LEG 04 2019 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The length of the obligatory orientation course for beneficiaries of international protection was extended from 8 to 24 hours to include modules on gender equality, antisemitism and the importance of voluntary work. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Austria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The federal government and the provinces concluded an agreement to harmonise the child and youth welfare system in general, defining the responsibilities of the provinces in providing care and support to unaccompanied minors. |
AT LEG 01 2019 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
In cooperation with UNHCR and the IOM, the Austrian Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum (BFA) organised regularly training sessions for its staff on identifying special needs and vulnerabilities, interviewing applicants with special needs, and tailoring approaches to specific groups, such as women, children, LGBTIQ applicants and survivors of trafficking in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration planned to undertake an audit of the asylum services (CGRS, Immigration Office, Fedasil and CALL) with results expected in summer 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
During the months when personal interviews were halted the focus was on case loads for which an interview had already taken place. Furthermore, the focus during this period was also on cases where it was clear, based on written documents, that the applicant was in need of international protection (mostly Syrians or where a family member had already obtained international protection). Likewise, subsequent applications without any new elements received a decision without an interview. When interviews resumed, priority was given to applicants who were within the reception system of the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil) and already had a status in another EU+ Member State and Brazilian applicants who were already in the country before applying for asylum. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Belgian Council of Ministers approved the structure of the new Migration Code. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
4,000 places were created in the reception system throughout 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The Council of Ministers approved a law proposal and a draft royal decree, which aims to adapt the working methods of the CALL to the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The amendments concern the electronic communication of procedural documents and the written procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The CGRS, in cooperation with the Guardianship Service, organised several training sessions for guardians on the asylum procedure for unaccompanied minors. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Council of Ministers approved several measures on 14 November 2019 to speed up the procedures for international protection by hiring more staff in asylum authorities, increasing reception capacity to accelerate outflow and cooperating closer with all federal government departments. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The Flemish family allowance system was reformed and transformed into a so-called Growth Package (Groeipakket), whereby every child in Flanders is entitled to the allowance as of 1 January 2019, including minor applicants in the second reception phase. |
BE LEG 02 2019 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The French-speaking Brussels Community Commission – the francophone government of Brussels – announced that the city’s integration programme became mandatory on 1 January 2022, and those who fail to comply receive a fine. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The State Secretary for Asylum and Migration announced that children, applicants with vulnerabilities and first-time applicants have priority to receive reception over applicants who have already sought asylum in another EU Member State. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Certain categories of applicants were prioritised, including those in the reception system or from countries with high recognition rates, where a decision could be taken based on evidence in the file. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The CGRS implemented a quality control process for gender-related cases, starting with cases which invoked sexual orientation as a ground to monitor the application of its Sexual Orientation Guideline. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The Immigration Office increased its staff working on Dublin cases. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The Council of Ministers approved in June 2021 a draft law on the organisation of CALL. The proposal aimed to increase the number of judges of CALL and simplify and optimise the appraisal procedure for staff by introducing a comprehensive system of disciplinary and policy measures for officials. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Policy |
|
The Dublin procedure |
The accelerated procedure for specific, predefined potential Dublin cases was revised. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Information provision on the asylum procedure |
The CGRS launched a new website to inform applicants on the asylum procedure and their rights and obligations within the procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Fedasil launched a seven-module training programme for managers and training in breathing techniques for staff working in reception centres to support their emotional resilience. The content of the training on dealing with aggression was expanded. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The final report of the commission for the evaluation of policies on foreigners' voluntary and forced return (also known as the Bossuyt Commission) was published. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
Amendments to the Nationality Code clarified that recognition as a stateless person was not required to grant Belgian nationality to a child born in Belgium without a nationality. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Policy |
|
Country of origin information |
CEDOCA created a working group on statistics to better understand methodologies and data visualisations in reports. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Belgium |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
Fedasil in Belgium issued a new instruction on the implementation of the return process for failed applicants with serious medical issues. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |