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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 Sort descending Thematic area Development Source
Belgium Flag Belgium 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The notification of negative decisions was temporarily suspended for applicants from Afghanistan in August 2021 and the suspension was fully lifted on 2 March 2022. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Croatia Flag Croatia 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Croatia introduced specific policies for the vaccination of asylum applicants, specifying that vaccines are free of charge, on a voluntary basis and by registration to receive an appointment. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Psyyke project was implemented with AMIF funding between 1 March 2019 and 30 June 2021, offering training and guidance to reception staff on mental health support in reception facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Norway Flag Norway 2020 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure An internal review of 54 return cases from 2019 took place in the Immigration Appeals Board (UNE) in order to examine how UNE assesses what is in the best interests of the child in return cases. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Germany Flag Germany 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The AnkER concept is planned not to be used any longer, even though similar facilities for initial reception remain. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A legal position was published on public assistants, outlining the requirements to be appointed by the Swedish Migration Agency. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Iceland Flag Iceland 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Directorate of Immigration was developing new standard operating procedures for applicants with disabilities and mental health issues. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The State Secretariat for Migration presented the results of the first evaluation of the law that reformed the asylum procedure in 2019. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Italy Flag Italy 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Ministry of the Interior signed a memorandum of understanding with civil society organisations (Rete per la Parità, Le Contemporanee, the National Council of Italian Women and the Italian division of Soroptimist International) to support the reception and integration of Afghan evacuees. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
France Flag France 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Ministry of the Interior published its National plan for the reception of applicants and the integration of refugees for 2021-2023, aiming to create 4,500 additional reception places in 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Latvia Flag Latvia 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Ministry of Education and Science prepared a report on applicant children’s education, informing the Cabinet of Ministers of the challenges and potential solutions in light of the increased number of applicant children in the country. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Ireland Flag Ireland 2020 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Advisory Group on the Provision of Support including Accommodation to Persons in the International Protection Process examined issues regarding the provision of interpretation during accommodation in the International Protection Process in Ireland and recommended to introduce an accreditation test for interpreters from mid-2023 and to adopt a code of conduct. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Malta Flag Malta 2021 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance 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
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2020 Policy Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum The IND published new work instructions on Palestinians. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure New work instructions were published on when and how a case officer should request advice from the Medical Advisory Office to assess an applicant’s aptitude to travel. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Malta Flag Malta 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The AWAS reduced the length of contracts signed with male adult applicants for their accommodation from 1 year to 6 months. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection New work instructions were published on the examination of identity and family relations in family reunification procedures, including the use of DNA tests. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Sweden Flag Sweden 2020 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Swedish government tasked several national bodies, including the police and the Swedish Migration Agency, to analyse the factors that prevent the enforcement of a decision on a refusal of entry or return. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Portugal Flag Portugal 2021 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions Around 200 refugees, who were evacuated from Afghanistan, were received as the government pledged to receive Afghan nationals on humanitarian admission grounds. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Croatia Flag Croatia 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The national authorities concluded standard operating procedures on sexual and gender-based violence with UNHCR and national NGOs towards the end of 2020, aiming to start implementation as soon as possible. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Spain Flag Spain 2021 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The sponsor in Spain must now begin the family reunification procedure, not the family member in the country of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Policy Special procedures to process asylum applications Special procedures to process asylum applications The Council of Ministers adopted the draft royal decree establishing a list of safe countries of origin. The draft did not include any changes to the list of safe countries from the previous year. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Sweden Flag Sweden 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position from 2015 on the investigation and assessment of a future risk of persecution for applicants claiming asylum due to sexual orientation or gender identity. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Belgium Flag Belgium 2020 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure Applicants had to book an appointment online for their registration between April and October 2020. The first instance tribunal of Brussels ruled that this practice was against the law, hence from 30 October 2020 registration in person started again at the arrival centre, without prior appointment. EASO Asylum Report 2021
France Flag France 2020 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The National Court of Asylum (CNDA) signed an agreement with the bar association on the implementation of video hearings. EASO Asylum Report 2021