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 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 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 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 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance A new decree introduced an obligation for the prefect to inform the Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) and the Office for Immigration and Integration (OFII) when they have information that an applicant is a beneficiary of protection in another Member State. According to the new Law for Controlling Immigration and Improving Integration, if the applicant had indeed received protection equivalent to international protection in another Member State, OFPRA may now take an inadmissibility decision. Moreover, in these cases, it is now possible to use videoconferencing to conduct interviews. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new decree removed the mandatory informal appeal against a decision to refuse material reception conditions. It also made it obligatory for authorities to exclude from or withdraw material reception conditions for certain groups of applicants in conformity with EU law. 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 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
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The 2023 programming law of the Ministry of Interior provides for the creation of 1,200 additional places in administrative detention centres. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The new Law for Controlling Immigration and Improving Integration provides for the creation of territorial hubs to reduce processing times. The hubs bring together the authority responsible for the registration (prefectures), the authority responsible for the lodging of applications (OFPRA), and the authority responsible for providing material reception conditions (OFII). 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 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 Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons (OFPRA) can dismiss an application when the applicant has abandoned the accommodation place without a legitimate reason. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
France Flag France 2024 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A new order established a list of accredited humanitarian organisations that are authorised to propose representatives who can access the waiting zones. 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 Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The President approved the Act on Temporary Measures to Combat Instrumentalised Migration. It provides the conditions under which the government can decide in a plenary session to restrict the reception of applications for international protection in a specific border area and to prevent third-country nationals from entering the country in an irregular manner. 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 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 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The Aliens Act was amended to introduce the border procedure. This will expedite the examination of applications that are likely to be unfounded and the return of applicants who receive a negative decision. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The Citizenship Act was amended to tighten the requirements for citizenship and encourage migrants to integrate into society. The required period of residence to apply for citizenship was extended from 5 to 8 years, except when applicants meet the language requirement, in which case the period is reduced to 5 years. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Applicants and former applicants can no longer obtain a residence permit based on employment, self-employment or studies in an effort to prevent the use of the asylum procedure for work and study purposes. EUAA Asylum Report 2025
Finland Flag Finland 2024 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The government submitted a proposal to amend the Aliens Act to extend the maximum duration of detention and add a new ground for detention. The amendments will enter into force on 6 May 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 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 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
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