|
France |
2019 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
An order defined the operating rules for emergency reception centres. |
FR LEG 12 2019 |
|
Bulgaria |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
An amendment was pending approval by the Council of Ministers to modify the “Regulation on responsibilities and coordination of public authorities implementing action on the application of the Dublin III and Eurodac Regulations”. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Denmark |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
New legislation obliges applicants to undergo a medical examination for diseases and illnesses covered by the Danish Epidemic Act, e.g. COVID-19. If a returnee refuses to be tested, the Danish Return Agency can request the assistance of the police and the testing may, if necessary, be carried out with the use of force. The testing is always carried out by a health care professional. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Greece |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Law No 4815/2021 made minor adjustments to the provisions on the residence permit of beneficiaries of international protection and their family members in Greece. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Lithuania |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens allow restrictions to be placed on contact between legal services providers and asylum applicants during a state of emergency. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2022 |
|
Romania |
2021 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
Law No 114/2021 was adopted to digitalise the second instance procedure and allow for remote hearings due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
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 |
|
Belgium |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A legal amendment explicitly allowed the CGRS to organise interviews through videoconference for applicants for international protection. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Estonia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the Obligation to Leave and Prohibition on Entry Act (OLPEA) came into force, providing for the possibility for the PBGB or the Estonian Internal Security Service to detain third-country nationals for up to 48 hours, without the permission of an administrative court, to carry out identification procedures and to determine whether they are subjected to an obligation to leave the country. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Netherlands |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The Alien Circular 2000 now explicitly states that the IND has to always include in the decision on family reunification all indicative statements and documents, and in some cases, further examination may be initiated. When a contradiction leads to no further investigation, this has to be motivated. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Germany |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
The German parliament adopted a bill replacing state-run counselling with a new system, combining the first stage of counselling by BAMF and independent counselling, financed by the federal government but carried out by welfare associations or other civil society organisations. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Slovenia |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
A proposal was put forward and adopted in 2021 to amend the International Protection Act. Among a set of comprehensive changes, for example, sanctions would apply when an applicant does not comply with the duties or obstructs the implementation of the asylum procedure. The amendment also widens the grounds on which an asylum application can be rejected as manifestly unfounded. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Hungary |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
The special conditions to submit an asylum application were extended until 31 December 2023. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Switzerland |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
An amendment to the ordinance on delivering travel documents for foreigners clarified when refugees under a travel ban can still receive an exceptional authorisation to travel to a country falling under that travel ban. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Lithuania |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Amendments to the Law on the Legal Status of Foreigners came into effect, noting additional grounds for the detention of asylum applicants during a state of emergency or an extreme situation due to a mass influx. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Italy |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
The procedure for a decision on the suspensive effect of an appeal in the second instance has to be taken by the court in a collegial decision. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Norway |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
Amendments to the Immigration Act would allow authorities to expulse refugees, without first making a decision on the cessation of the status, when the person has been convicted and sentenced of a crime that is punishable by 2 or more years of prison. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Italy |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Return of former applicants |
The list of circumstances in which protection against refoulement applies was extended. In addition to cases where a foreigner is at risk of being subjected to torture in the country of origin, the list includes cases where a person may be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment and where there is a risk of a violation of the right to respect for private and family life. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Slovenia |
2022 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Legal provisions on the entitlement to material reception conditions were amended, and the situation of applicants going through a Dublin procedure was clarified. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2023 |
|
Luxembourg |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
The Dublin procedure |
A draft law would modify the remedy system available for the The Dublin procedure to ensure the efficiency of the procedure, while keeping legal guarantees at the maximum level. It would modify and align the time limits and methods of appeal. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Germany |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Content of protection |
The Act on Tolerated Status related to Education and Employment of 8 July 2019 entered into force on 1 January 2020. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Greece |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Children's protective custody was abolished. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Hungary |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
Under Asylum Law, Article 15, the threshold to exclude a person from subsidiary protection became lower: instead of violating national security, it is enough if the person's stay in the country endangers national security. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Austria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The scope of the term family was widened. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |
|
Bulgaria |
2020 |
Legislative |
|
Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure |
The Law on Asylum and Refugees was amended to address shortcomings in the identification, legal representation and age assessment procedure for unaccompanied children. |
EASO Asylum Report 2021 |