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
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The AMIF-funded CELIA project started to develop new language analysis methods using AI and optimising and standardising language analysis across EU+ countries. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new agency, the Asylum Seekers Identification and Screening Service, falling under the political responsibility of the Ministry for Migration and Asylum, has been established to take over the identification and registration of asylum seekers. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The government started a pilot project for unaccompanied minors who have exhausted all legal remedies to find adequate shelter in their country of origin. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions Resettlement from Türkiye resumed in 2024, with a pledge for 500 Syrian resettlement cases from Türkiye per year. The national quota for resettlement was limited to a maximum of 200 refugees a year. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Access to information Access to information The Immigration and Naturalisation Service announced that it will simplify the language used in written communication with applicants to ensure that they fully understand the messages. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The State Secretary for Justice and Security announced additional support measures for reception, including 5,000 new places. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The government sent a letter to the EU Commission manifesting their desire to opt out of the Common European Asylum System in case of a Treaty amendment. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The extension of the time limit to decide on asylum cases from 6 months to 15 months was prolonged until 1 January 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers initiated a nationwide project to accommodate permit holders in hotels. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Netherlands Flag Netherlands 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Immigration and Naturalisation Service implemented a project-based approach to increase efficiency in application processing. It allowed applicants to schedule their interviews, which were held at reception centres. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The government set up a new website and several information campaigns to encourage the return of people who have been found not to need international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The government proposed amendments to the International Protection Act, including clarifying that applications deemed to be manifestly unfounded must meet specific criteria, distinguishing them from regular unfounded applications. Additionally, it includes provisions on revoking or refusing to renew subsidiary protection status if false or omitted information was pivotal in granting it. The amendments were passed in February 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Legislative Processing asylum applications at second instance Following a legal amendment, the International Protection Appeals Tribunal can access information in the applicant’s file relating to national security. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Following a legal amendment, vulnerable groups may be detained, but the competent authorities must ensure regular monitoring and adequate support. Moreover, minors are detained only as a measure of last resort and after it has been established that other less coercive alternative measures cannot be applied effectively. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Following a legal amendment, medical examinations to determine the age of unaccompanied minors may be carried out when there are doubts about the applicant’s age after general statements or other indications. If there are uncertainties after the examination, the authorities must assume that the applicant is a minor unless there are documents that prove otherwise. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The government amended the Gender Identity Act to allow refugees to legally identify as non-binary. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Institutional Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The government appointed the first Thematic Ambassador for Immigration, a position created to strengthen immigration work abroad. The Ambassador will work on topics such as the return of former applicants and cooperation with third countries. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Malta Flag Malta 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Agency suspended the assessment of applications from Syrian nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance Efforts in 2024 focused on increasing efficiency in processing applications for international protection by optimising workflows and aiming to reduce the backlog. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Ministry of Home Affairs announced the suspension of the examination of applications from Syrian nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2024 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The National Reception Office launched a call for AMIF-funded projects to support vulnerable applicants, such as minors and victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2024 Policy Return of former applicants Return of former applicants In view of the transposition of the Pact on Migration and Asylum, a new centre was established for people of the following profiles: i) people in the Dublin procedure; ii) people awaiting a voluntary return after their applications for international protection have been definitively rejected and where all possible appeals have been exhausted; and iii) occasionally, irregular third-country nationals who did not apply for international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Luxembourg Flag Luxembourg 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The new law on intercultural living came into effect. It establishes a ‘communal pact’ between the minister and municipalities, providing them with financial support. Additionally, it creates municipal commissions which are tasked with promoting intercultural coexistence at the local level. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2024 Legislative Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation Following a legislative amendment, state-guaranteed legal aid for foreigners is now organised by the Reception and Integration Agency which operates under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour rather than by the Migration Department. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Lithuania Flag Lithuania 2024 Institutional Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Following a legislative reform, the Vilnius District Administrative Court was reorganised by merging with the Regional Administrative District Court to form a single Regional Administrative Court. Before the reform, only the Vilnius Court heard asylum appeals. Now, all five chambers of the new court review asylum cases. EUAA Asylum Report 2025