|
Slovenia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA) included that vulnerable persons with special needs related to physical or mental health are prioritised in the border procedure, while they are provided with adequate assistance. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovenia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Authorities can request an age assessment already when an asylum application is made, instead of when it is lodged. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Slovenia |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the International Protection Act (IPA) clarified that unaccompanied children should be accommodated in child-friendly institutions instead of reception centres. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Spain |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A Royal Decree was introduced to facilitate the process of granting residence and work permits for unaccompanied children in Spain. |
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 |
|
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 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
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 |
|
Austria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Austrian Federal Ministry of Justice established a Commission on the Best Interests of the Child in February 2021, tasked to review the legal framework and practices related to children in the asylum procedure. The Federal Ministry of the Interior conducted an internal review as well, concluding that many of the recommendations were already being applied or were on the way to implementation, and suggesting new measures. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees updated its standard operating procedures for preventing and responding to sexual- or gender-based violence within the asylum procedure and the new procedures were implemented in cooperation with UNHCR and the State Agency for Child Protection |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The State Agency for Refugees established a pilot programme of self-care and well-being classes for women in the reception and registration centre Vrazhdebna in Sofia. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Bulgarian State Agency for Refugees monitored throughout 2021 the implementation of amendments from 2020 related to the representation of unaccompanied minors in the asylum procedure. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Safe zones for unaccompanied children needed to be restructured. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Croatia |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior developed standard operating procedures to prevent and address sexual- and gender-based violence in reception centres, in cooperation with UNHCR, Médecins du Monde, the Red Cross and the Croatian Law Centre. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Finland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The national Action Plan against Trafficking in Human Beings was adopted. |
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 |
|
France |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
Discussions were underway to revise the methods for an age assessment, in particular related to bone X-rays. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
France |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior published an action plan to strengthen support for applicants and beneficiaries of international protection with vulnerabilities. The plan lists 10 action points for improved identification and support for special needs. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry for Migration and Asylum established a National Mechanism for the Detection and Protection of Unaccompanied Children, in cooperation with the IOM, Aris, METAdrasi and the Network for Children’s Rights. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Iceland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
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 |
|
Ireland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The International Protection Accommodation Service (IPAS) piloted a vulnerability assessment process throughout 2021. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Ireland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The prioritisation procedure was updated, which re-confirmed that asylum interviews for unaccompanied minor applicants can be scheduled with priority. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Ireland |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
As part of the reform of the reception system, the IPAS announced the development of a new LGBTIQ resident policy, including accommodation for transgender applicants. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A working group was established to better coordinate mechanisms for the identification of and support to applicants with special needs and vulnerabilities. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Ministry of the Interior’s Department of Civil Liberties and Migration issued a circular to disseminate an operational guide on the specific needs of women and girls in reception to first-contact reception staff. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Italy |
2021 |
Policy |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
A new national coordination board dedicated to unaccompanied children was established, with its first meeting foreseen for spring 2022. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |