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
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure A new decree adapted the regulatory provisions on house arrest and the administrative detention of applicants. It expanded the length of the initial detention period without a judicial order and the maximum period for house arrest. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The new Law for Controlling Immigration and Improving Integration will make the issuance of the first multi-annual residence permit conditional on the mastery of a minimum level of French. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Global Support and Integration (AGIR) programme, which focuses on access to employment and housing for beneficiaries of international protection, continues for the most vulnerable beneficiaries. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A new decree readjusted the share of responsibilities between the minister and the prefectures for return orders. It also streamlined the organisation of return commissions, specified the procedures to summon, before these commissions, a third-country national seeking the abrogation of a return decision, and increased the maximum number of check-ins (at a police station) of those under house arrest prior to their return. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A new decree stipulated that an obligation to leave the territory must be issued within 15 days of the prefecture being informed that the applicant’s right to remain in France has expired, unless they consider a residence permit on other grounds. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The new Law for Controlling Immigration and Improving Integration prohibits the detention of families with minors. Other means, such as house arrest, can be applied. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups A decree was adopted laying down the procedures for the medical examination of cases of female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C). EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The government launched the 2024-2027 National Plan to Combat the Exploitation and Trafficking of Human Beings with the aim of strengthening the protection of victims and the effectiveness of the criminal policy to dismantle and convict criminal networks. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Ministry of the Interior published new multilingual information tools for the prevention of human exploitation and trafficking, including useful information and contacts for applicants for and beneficiaries of international protection. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups OFPRA launched a new web section for healthcare professionals which aims to provide information on medical certificates for female genital mutilation and cutting (FGM/C). EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Policy Content of protection Content of protection In principle, OFPRA no longer requires the family reference form, which was used to establish the civil status of the beneficiary and to confirm their family situation. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Ministry of the Interior set up two new language training projects. One aims to provide more language classes to meet the new language requirements defined by law, while the second aims to improve the employability of beneficiaries and facilitate their subsequent access to training to obtain qualifications. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance OFPRA approved the rules on personal data transfers. They specify the purposes of the data processing, the data recorded, the people who have access to it, and the rights of the people concerned. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Aliens Act was amended to implement stricter rules on the end of the right to work for rejected applicants. In accelerated procedures or for inadmissible applications, the right to work will end on the day that the decision is served. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups The Finnish Immigration Service set up a monitoring programme for the system of assistance to victims of human trafficking. The aim is to ensure that steering and monitoring are systematic and transparent. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions The government approved a resettlement quota of 500 people for 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Finnish Immigration Service announced an increase of the income threshold for residential permits relating to family reunification. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Legal representation and assistance Legal assistance and representation The Finnish Immigration Service announced that legal counsels can only participate remotely in personal interviews if the method of participation meets security requirements and does not pose a risk to confidentiality. Exceptions from these rules were allowed temporarily due to the COVID-19 pandemic. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Finnish Immigration Service reduced reception and spending allowances for applicants and victims of human trafficking. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The Finnish Immigration Service decreased accommodation places by discontinuing contracts for additional reception centres and reducing the number of places in reception. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Finnish Immigration Services completed a tender to procure IT services for the agency. The aim is to improve the digital case management system. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Finnish Immigration Service announced the suspension of processing of applications from Syrian nationals. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Aliens Act was amended to reduce the length of a residence permit for beneficiaries of international protection to the minimum allowed by EU law. A first residence permit for refugees is reduced to 3 years, and for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection, reduced to 1 year. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants The government submitted a proposal to amend the Aliens Act aiming to expand the effective use of entry bans and to make returns more efficient. The amendments will enter into force on 6 May 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Institutional Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Finnish Immigration Service reformed its organisational structure with the objective of ensuring the seamless processing of applications for different types of permits, in addition to reinforcing contingency planning and preparedness in a changed operating environment. EUAA Asylum Report 2025