|
Estonia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
Amendments were made to the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens. In a state of emergency, border guards are allowed to return persons entering in an unauthorised manner without an individual decision. Applications for international protection can be submitted only at designated locations. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
The Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens was amended allowing to extend the registration time limit to 10 working days exceptionally in emergency situations. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board started to issue “three in one” decisions combining a negative decision on an asylum application, a return decision and a decision to impose a prohibition to entry. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
Compliance with a return decision issued to a minor or an adult foreigner with limited active legal capacity will be organised by a parent, guardian or other responsible adult person who is staying with the person in Estonia. |
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 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Amendments to the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens clarified that the rejection decision includes a return decision and a prohibition on entry for 3 years. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
Ukraine was removed from the list of safe countries of origin. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Special procedures to process asylum applications |
The amendment of the Act on Granting International Protection to Aliens clarified that the PBGB must update the list of safe countries of origin at least once a year. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Estonia |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
A legal counsellor was assigned to the detention centre to ensure legal aid for detainees. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Estonia |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Content of protection |
The Ministry of Cultural Affairs published guidelines for local governments on integration services. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Finland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A new act entered into force regulating the processing of personal data by all authorities involved in migration affairs. Corresponding amendments were made in the Reception Act, the Immigration Detention Act, the Integration Act and the Citizenship Act. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The AMIF-funded PSYYKE project was launched to train reception staff on mental health work and draft a mental health work manual for the reception system. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Access to information |
The website, Asylum in Finland, maintained by the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, was improved. New information leaflets and videos with simple terminology were developed for applicants in the framework of the AMIF-funded ONE project. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Finland opened consultations on proposed amendments to the Citizenship Act (359/2003) and the Government Decree on Citizenship (293/2013). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Finnish Immigration Service initiated a new practice which allows applicant children younger than 12 years old to be heard more frequently, ensuring that the bests interests of the child are taken into account effectively and systematically in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2020 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Finnish Immigration Service started to notify applicants, whenever possible, through phone or videoconferencing about the decision on their application. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Finland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Minors who have received international protection became exempted from the requirement of having sufficient financial resources for family reunification. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
The AMIF-funded OSAKA project was finalised, focusing on the assessment and recognition of previous education, work experiences and skills. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
A subsequent application no longer prevents the enforcement of a removal decision if the subsequent application is deemed to be inadmissible and was submitted only for the purpose of delaying or impeding a removal. |
FI LEG 01 2019 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Legislative work continued to prepare for an eventual mass influx of migrants, and some amendments were introduced to the Reception Act. The Finnish Immigration Service must draw up a contingency plan for large-scale arrivals and has a central role in organising reception and giving instructions to other actors in this scenario. The amendments entered into force at the beginning of January 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Institutional |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Finnish Immigration Service became entirely responsible for providing guidance on, planning and monitoring the guardianship of unaccompanied children in 2020, and this new arrangement started to be implemented in 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Return of former applicants |
Various projects were implemented on processing data and digitalising information systems relevant to return, while the relevant legal framework was adapted accordingly. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
Government legislative proposal 132/2022 was submitted to parliament in order to enable applicants for international protection to be registered in the Civil Registry at an earlier stage and to ease the prerequisites for registration. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Finland |
2019 |
Policy |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The AMIF-funded asylum procedure information provision, ONE project, was concluded, which facilitated access to legal aid from reception centres and to information throughout the whole asylum procedure. |
EASO Asylum Report 2020 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
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 |