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
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Swiss State Secretariat for Migration supported a new project to strengthen the reception and protection of minors. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection A memorandum of understanding was signed to promote local cooperation between prefectures and church entities on reception and integration measures. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Policy Detention Detention during the asylum procedure Access and inspection powers of parliamentarians and experts in CPRs were restricted. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions A memorandum of understanding was signed with UNHCR establishing a new legal pathway to employ qualified refugees from Colombia, Egypt, Uganda and Jordan EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance 108 case officers were deployed nationwide to support faster processing of asylum applications. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The procedure to convert the residence permit of a minor upon reaching adulthood was digitalised. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants Law No 75/2025 expanded the categories of people who can be transferred to detention facilities in Albania to include irregular migrants subject to an expulsion order. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Italy Flag Italy 2025 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection Decree Law No 146/2025 introduced measures to align the duration of residence permits issued to victims of labour exploitation, allowing foreigners to work while waiting for the conversion or renewal of their residence permit, and extended the authority’s time limit to issue an authorisation for family reunification from 90 to 150 days. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The government approved the purchase of the Citywest Hotel and Convention Centre to provide stable, state-owned accommodation for people seeking international protection, maintaining existing services and capacity for around 2,300 residents. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure The Department of Justice, Home Affairs and Migration allocated EUR 1.75 million to Children and Young People’s Services Committees to expand support for children, young people and families in international protection accommodation. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The International Protection Office (IPO) launched the International Protection Applicant Portal, which allows registered applicants to check the status of their application and download their application form. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Policy Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs Pakistan was added to the accelerated processing scheme for international protection applications. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Institutional Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A bill provided for the establishment of the Chief Inspector of Asylum Border Procedures, which is an independent monitoring mechanism to ensure that there is full compliance with EU and international laws during screening and the application of the border procedure, and to investigate any allegations of breaches. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Policy Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance The Chairperson of the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (IPAT) issued a new Guideline on Medico-Legal Reports, replacing the 2017 version. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Institutional Procedures at second and higher instances A bill established a new Second Instance Body, which can make decisions to grant or refuse refugee status or subsidiary protection and to affirm, overturn or vary return decisions. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Ireland Flag Ireland 2025 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, including Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, was designated as a safe third country. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Iceland Flag Iceland 2025 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A draft law introduced new grounds to withdraw international protection when the person is considered a threat to state security or convicted of a serious crime. In addition, it proposes to repeal humanitarian residence permits and replace them with a new permit based on tolerated stay. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Iceland Flag Iceland 2025 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure A draft law proposed to extend background checks and health and vulnerability assessments (already established for applicants for international protection) to persons entering or staying irregularly in the country. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Iceland Flag Iceland 2025 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants A draft law established the legal basis for administrative detention centres for rejected applicants waiting to be returned. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Hungary Flag Hungary 2025 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The legal basis of the embassy procedure was changed from a government decree to a law, and persons under a measure restricting their personal liberty were added to the categories which are exempt from this procedure as of 1 January 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Hungary Flag Hungary 2025 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The government reiterated its stance to not implement the Pact on Migration and Asylum. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs After the Greek Council of State annulled the designation of Türkiye as a safe third country, a new Joint Ministerial Decision (JMD) was published, with Türkiye and other countries included in the National List of Safe Third Countries for specific categories of applicants for international protection. Despite the issuance of a new JMD, all cases are examined in merit because readmissions to Türkiye have not taken place for a prolonged period. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure As of September 2025, vulnerability is also assessed by the Hippocrates programme in mainland facilities of the Reception and Identification Service (RIS), increasing vulnerability identification throughout the duration of applicants' stay in RIS facilities. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Legislative Return of former applicants Return of former applicants In September 2025, the plenary session of the Greek Parliament approved the bill "Reform of the framework and procedures for the return of third-country nationals - Other regulations of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum". Key amendments included faster and monitored voluntary departures, tougher entry bans and penalties, expanded detention, and new legal barriers for long-term undocumented migrants. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure In July 2025, a memorandum of cooperation was signed between the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum and the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family to strengthen institutional cooperation in the prevention and response to gender-based and domestic violence among refugees and migrants. EUAA Asylum Report 2026