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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 Type of development Thematic area Development Source
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A law added two new types of Regional Services of the Reception and Identification Service: closed structures for temporary reception of applicants against whom a restraining order was issued and closed controlled structures of islands. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection 67 hotel accommodation facilities were planned to be closed by the end of 2020, transferring residents to other inland structures. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The organigramme of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum was adopted in December 2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Ministerial Decision was issued on the creation of temporary reception establishments for applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Ministry of Migration and Asylum announced that all asylum applicants are to be issued a temporary number for health care. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A Registry of Rapporteurs and Assistants for Case Officers in Asylum was created. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new programme Project North was launched in Northern Greece at the end of September 2020 to speed up asylum procedures and conclude pending cases by 2021 in order to alleviate the pressure on accommodation structures. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications Bangladesh and Pakistan were added to the list of safe countries of origin. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Interpretation services Interpretation services A Ministerial Decision specified that interpretation services must be provided free of charge by the Asylum Services during meetings between an applicant and a lawyer, and these meetings should not exceed 2 hours in total. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure An urgent legislative act suspended applications from people arriving illegally into Greece for 1 month. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation A Joint Ministerial Decision re-defined the criteria to be registered in the Register of Greek and Foreign Non-Governmental Organisations and the Register of Members of Non-Governmental Organisations, which are active in matters of international protection, immigration and social integration within the territory of Greece. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The police director may issue a detention order upon the Asylum Service's prior notice. A judicial review is undertaken for the prolongation of the detention order but not for the initial order. The maximum initial detention period was extended from 45 days to 50 days and the total maximum detention period was extended from 3 months to 18 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Greek Red Cross for support with the provision of material reception conditions, including health services and psychological support. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Institutional Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Special Secretariat for the protection of unaccompanied and separated minors was appointed as the competent authority for the protection of unaccompanied children. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Joint Ministerial Decision was issued on the terms of material reception condition under the ESTIA II programme, implementing Law No 4674/2020. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The European Commission created a task force on 23 September 2020 to resolve the emergency situation on Lesvos. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance When the applicant does not comply with the duty to cooperate, especially the duty to remain in communication with the authorities, the application or the appeal is presumed to be implicitly withdrawn. Previously, in this case the application was examined under the rules for manifestly unfounded applications. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A Joint Ministerial Decision was issued on the procedure and criteria to register in the Register for Rapporteurs-Assistant Case Handlers for Asylum. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The establishment of locally-competent Units for the Protection of Unaccompanied Minors in EKKA are planned according to a new law. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Migration and Asylum and the Asylum Service were in the process of digitalising and some of the following procedures can now be done online: submit the full registration (lodging) for pre-registered applicants, request to change the date of the interview, request to change the personal data or contact information, request a statement on the application status, submit additional documents, apply for legal aid and apply for a Provisional Social Security and Health Care Number. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Following a law amendment, the Regional Services for Reception and Identification are also considered to be competent receiving authorities for the full registration of international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation A Joint Ministerial Decision clarified the implementation rules for the provision of legal aid to applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Children's protective custody was abolished. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The Greek Asylum Service launched a call to extend the Register of Lawyers providing legal aid to applicants for international protection EASO Asylum Report 2021
Greece Flag Greece 2020 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A Ministerial Decision amended the framework of the ESTIA II programme for the accommodation of applicants for international protection. EASO Asylum Report 2021