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 Thematic area Development Source
Belgium Flag Belgium 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons suspended the notification of decisions granting or refusing subsidiary protection for applicants from Lebanon. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Belgium Flag Belgium 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons decided to change the frequency of the ‘Female Genital Mutilation follow-up’. Parents will no longer receive a letter every year, but every 3 years, asking them to send a medical certificate proving that their daughter has not undergone FGM/C. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Belgium Flag Belgium 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons resumed the processing of all cases by Russian nationals, as well as certain cases by applicants from Sudan. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Belgium Flag Belgium 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons established a new policy on applicants from Somalia, underlining the importance of determining the actual origin and previous places of residence to assess a real fear of persecution and risk of serious harm. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Belgium Flag Belgium 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A fast-track procedure was implemented for applicants from Georgia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Moldova, Western Balkan countries and those who have a protection status in another Member State. This prioritisation would reduce processing times. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The law establishing the Federal Agency for Reception and Support Services (BBU) was amended to comply with the Constitutional Court’s 2023 ruling on legal advice. It created a separate Legal Advice Service and introduced a Quality Advisory Board to provide advice to the service and make recommendations to BBU’s management and the ministries responsible for the agency. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The digitalisation of the asylum procedure continued by shifting completely to electronic files. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A mandatory course and community service became obligatory for asylum applicants. Those who do not participate receive reduced pocket money. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Family reunification was suspended. Additionally, new measures were adopted for future reunifications, such as increasing the number of DNA tests and conducting document checks by experts. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Austrian Federal Administrative Court updated its guidance for judges on the best interests of the child in asylum and immigration procedures. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Austrian Integration Fund, the Federal Administrative Court and the BFA launched a new initiative to combat violence against female applicants, beneficiaries of international protection and displaced women from Ukraine. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Austria Flag Austria 2024 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The Federal Office for Immigration and Asylum announced the possibility of return assistance and return services for a voluntary departure by Syrian nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Poland Flag Poland 2023 Policy Content of protection Content of protection New centres for the integration of refugees opened as part of the project “Building structures for the integration of foreigners in Poland”. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Poland Flag Poland 2023 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Department of Refugee Proceedings at the Office of Foreigners was re-organised according to the type of procedure to which cases are assigned. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2023 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The government approved a new quota for 2024-2025 that can be activated only after consultations with the cantons and the municipalities, and based on availability in the reception system. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2023 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The Swiss Federal Department of Justice and Police (FDJP) suspended the national resettlement programme as of April 2023 due to pressure on the asylum system and lack of housing. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2023 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Federal Council repealed the COVID-19 ordinance on 15 December 2023, thus for accelerated procedures the expanded appeal time limit resumed from 30 days to 7 working days and for interim rulings from 10 to 5 working days. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Switzerland Flag Switzerland 2023 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance As a matter of policy, women and girls from Afghanistan can be granted asylum based on their gender as victims of discriminatory legislation, following an individual examination of the case. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions Sweden pledged to receive 100 people over a 2-year period under humanitarian admissions. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Swedish Migration Agency updated its legal position and clarified that the need for a new personal interview before the decision on revocation must be decided individually. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Legislative Statelessness in the context of asylum Statelessness in the context of asylum A new legal position was published on statelessness. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Legislative Country of origin information Country of origin information A new legal position was published on the protection needs of nationals from Yemen. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Swedish Migration Agency suspended enforcement to Sudan. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The authorities introduced integration criteria for the assessment of cases within resettlement. EUAA Asylum Report 2024
Sweden Flag Sweden 2023 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A commission appointed by the government recommended the introduction of competence requirements for interpreters and translators working in migration matters, provided that certain requirements are met. EUAA Asylum Report 2024