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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 ascending Thematic area Development Source
Spain Flag Spain 2021 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection An increase in the national budget was announced to upgrade the reception system, in line with the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
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 on assessing the asylum applications of persons claiming to belong to a particularly vulnerable group in their country of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Spain Flag Spain 2020 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The State Secretary for Migration signed new instructions in December 2020, noting that only recognised beneficiaries of international protection can be referred to the second phase of the national reception system as of 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The SEM have started the implementation of the recommendations from the Working Group on Asylum and Human Trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2022
Finland Flag Finland 2020 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure A horizontal action plan against trafficking in human beings was drafted and completed in the beginning of 2021. EASO Asylum Report 2021
Belgium Flag Belgium 2022 Policy Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The list of safe countries of origin was reviewed, but no changes were introduced. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Croatia Flag Croatia 2022 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The Ministry of the Interior signed a contract with the Croatian Law Centre to carry out an AMIF-funded project, entitled ""Legal guidance in the process of awarding international protection"". EUAA Asylum Report 2023
France Flag France 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Inter-Ministerial Information Note of 18 November 2022 includes good practices on the first assessment of health needs of people claiming to be minors during the temporary emergency reception period. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Iceland Flag Iceland 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new arrival centre was opened in Reykjavík, offering all services from registration by the police to reception interviews, first health inspection and a needs assessment for permanent housing. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Italy Flag Italy 2022 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The new National Plan for the Integration of Beneficiaries of International Protection 2022-2024 was adopted. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance After the conclusion of the pilot project “Written Interviews” (schriftelijk horen), the Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND) initiated another pilot offering written interviews to Syrian, Turkish and Yemeni nationals (“Paper and Ink procedure”). EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Norway Flag Norway 2022 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The Ministry of Justice and Public Security clarified that when a third-country national who already holds a residence permit on other grounds in the country applies for international protection, free legal aid is not automatically granted but it is conditioned by a needs test. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Ireland Flag Ireland 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The “National Standards for Accommodation Offered to People in the Protection Process” and a report on direct provision from the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Justice and Equality were published. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Sweden Flag Sweden 2022 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency published a new legal position on the examination of protection needs of Somali nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
Slovakia Flag Slovakia 2019 Policy Interpretation services Interpretation services The Migration Office of the Ministry of the Interior issued the guideline, “Procedure of the Provision of Interpretation and Translation Services in the Domain of the Migration Office”. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2022 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection Muslim chaplaincy service is provided on a permanent basis in federal asylum centres. EUAA Asylum Report 2023
United Kingdom United Kingdom 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Home Office amended its guidance on assessing the ages of asylum claimants who have no valid documentary evidence of age and where their claims to be children are doubted. This included the specification that a person being assessed on their physical appearance and demeanour must appear to be at least 25 years or older to be treated as an adult. Prior to this amendment, a person needed to appear to be significantly older than 18 years to allow an assessment of age. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Belgium Flag Belgium 2019 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The CGRS updated its guide for unaccompanied minors applying for international protection and published two new guides on accompanied children’s right to be heard in the asylum procedure (one for children, one for parents or guardians). EASO Asylum Report 2020
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new reception centre in B?lá pod Bezd?zem, with 186 places, was opened. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Finnish Immigration Service developed an online course and exam on Finnish society and values. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Finland Flag Finland 2019 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The first transfer decision to Greece since 2011 was made. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Czech Flag Czech Republic 2019 Policy Access to information Access to information Vulnerable persons are now notified about the right to a medical examination to detect signs of persecution or serious harm. This information is included in the document in which applicants provide data for an application. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Ireland Flag Ireland 2019 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Executive Officers in the International Protection Office (IPO) were granted the authority for single sign-off on certain cases. Some panel members and case workers are assigned to handle caseloads from specific countries to improve their knowledge for swift decision-making. EASO Asylum Report 2020
Austria Flag Austria 2021 Policy Applicants with special needs 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 Flag Belgium 2021 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants By 2022, 80 new staff members are expected to be recruited as return counsellors to organise interviews and information sessions with migrants and rejected asylum seekers living in private housing, who have recently received a return decision. EUAA Asylum Report 2022