|
Portugal |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The revised Nationality Regulation entered into force, which facilitates acquiring citizenship for children born in Portugal to applicants or beneficiaries of international protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Lithuania |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
The decision on which procedure the applicant follows must be made within 2 working days and no sperate decision is issued on this, but the case officer communicates this during the interview. The decision on admissibility is issued within 3 working days from the registration of the application. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Spain |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Spanish Ministry of Justice approved a preliminary draft of a new law on age assessments. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Malta |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
Algeria, Bangladesh, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia were added to the list of safe countries of origin. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Greece |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
Bangladesh and Pakistan were added to the list of safe countries of origin. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Greece |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Hungary |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Asylum Law, Article 31/A(1a) was amended: It was added that there needs to be a risk of absconding, in order to take a foreigner into detention, when he/she did not apply for asylum and the Dublin III Regulation might apply. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Belgium |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The Flemish government adopted a new integration path for newcomers which includes four components (language learning, economic autonomy, social orientation and sponsorship by a Flemish 'buddy') and will conclude with an exam. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Cyprus |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
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 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
The Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens was amended to include the conditions and timeframes for detaining applicants in an emergency situation caused by mass arrivals. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Norway |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
A legislative proposal for a new Integration Act was introduced, re-shaping the integration programme for refugees. |
NO LEG 01 2019 |
|
Germany |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A new paragraph was added in the Asylum Act (Article 44(2a)), underlining that federal states are obliged to provide reception conditions ensuring the protection of women and other vulnerable applicants. |
DE LEG 03 2019 |
|
Greece |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Several new changes were brought with the new law: specific profiles will be prioritised, subsequent applications should be examined within five days (or two days for a removal procedure), the vulnerability assessment is only intended to trigger the provision of reception needs and prioritise the application but does not exempt the applicant from specific procedures, and the reception and identification procedures were organised into five stages. |
EL LEG 05 2019 |
|
Lithuania |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Non-cooperation with authorities during the asylum application became a ground for detention. |
LT LEG 01 2019 |
|
Bulgaria |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Access to information |
An amendment to the Law on Asylum and Refugees clarified the role of organisations which provide legal and social assistance. |
BG LEG 01 2019 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
Authorities may take and retain the travel documents of an applicant throughout the asylum procedure. |
FI LEG 01 2019 |
|
France |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
A provision for a multi-year residence permit stating “beneficiary of stateless person status” or “family member of a beneficiary of stateless person status” was established and the rules were clarified for processing applications for this type of permit. |
FR LEG 14 2019 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the Law on Foreigners introduced provisions for a swift judicial review of detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
An amendment to the Aliens Act extended the time limit to 30 days to submit an appeal against a decision of the Finnish Immigration Service and before the Administrative Court and the Supreme Administrative Court. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Amendments introduced that all decisions rejecting requests for international protection should include a return provision. If another return or deportation order is already in force, it must be incorporated in the decision rejecting the application and ordering the return. The period of voluntary departure was shortened to 25 days, which may be extended up to 120 days. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Lithuania |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Interpretation services |
Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens stated that, in the event of a declaration of martial law, a state of emergency or an emergency due to a mass influx of foreigners, some rights provided to asylum applicants, including interpretation, may be temporarily and proportionally restricted. However, this article was repealed on 1 January 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovakia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
A draft amendment to the Asylum Act and other related acts was adopted and put to public consultation, defining and regulating the initial integration of beneficiaries of international protection. The amendments are expected to enter into force in June 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Spain |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Organic Law 8/2021 was introduced to clarify the principles of the age assessment procedure, including standards and consent for medical tests, procedures to follow in case the age cannot be established and respect for the child's dignity. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Statelessness in the context of asylum |
The government pledged to introduce a new legal status for stateless persons which would give them the right to legally reside in Belgium if they cannot return to their country of habitual residence. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
The Border Guard Act was amended to allow the authorities to centralise the reception of applicants at the border during an exceptionally high number of arrivals. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |