|
Luxembourg |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Unaccompanied minors and vulnerable groups |
The testing of a systematic and standardised identification and assessment tool was launched for special reception needs, including for disabled applicants. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Luxembourg |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Access to information |
A new website with information for asylum applicants was launched in February 2023 (it is only accessible from within the country). |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
The Lithuanian parliament adopted amendments which allow border guards to return migrants who cross into Lithuania irregularly during a state of emergency. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Draft amendments were approved by the government to establish an agency on the basis of the Refugee Reception Centre which will be in charge of the reception of and support for applicants, an entity under the Ministry of Social Security and Labour. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A legislative amendment stipulates that the decision for an applicant’s accommodation must be made by the Migration Department. Applicants must be accommodated without their freedom of movement restricted, if certain conditions are met. When assessing restrictions on the freedom of movement, the authorities must also assess the applicant’s age, health, family situation and other relevant circumstances. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A legislative amendment established that the process to appeal the decision on accommodation must be done within 14 days before the district court. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
Amendments revising detention provisions came into force in Lithuania at the end of 2023, including a new alternative to detention which allows a person to leave the assigned accommodation only with the permission of the head of facility. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Legal assistance and representation |
Following legislative amendments, the Ministry of Social Security and Labour, or an institution authorised by it, will replace the Migration Department in the organisation of state-guaranteed legal aid for third-country nationals. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Processing asylum applications at first instance |
The Migration Department used a questionnaire to screen citizens of Belarus and Russia on their attitudes on the war in Ukraine and information on former employers and service to identify possible threats to state security and cases in which exclusion clauses would be applicable. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Interpretation services |
Remote interpretation was increasingly used to circumvent the continued lack of interpreters. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Country of origin information |
Due to its geographical location and the instrumentalisation of migration, the authorities focused on producing COI on Belarus, as well as on countries in Central Asia. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Lithuania |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Access to procedure |
Lithuania maintained the state of emergency along the border with Belarus as it continued to face challenges with migrants attempting to enter the country. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Latvia |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Access to procedure |
A new law provides the Cabinet of Ministers with the authority to declare a situation of emergency when it considers that there is a disproportionately high number of cases of illegal or attempted crossings of the state border. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Latvia |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Processing asylum applications at second or higher instance |
A new local court was afforded the competence to receive asylum appeals. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Latvia |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
A new reception centre was opened in Alūksne, with a capacity of 252 places for single people. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
For applicants awaiting a Dublin transfer, Law No 50/2023 allows their detention in CPRs if there is a significant risk of absconding, but only for the time strictly necessary for the execution of the transfer and for a maximum of 6 weeks. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Law No 50/2023 foresees that, to alleviate pressure on hotspots, foreigners can be transferred to similar facilities on the national territory to undergo identification and registration. When government reception centres are full, the prefect may identify temporary reception facilities. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
According to Law No 50/2023, applicants may be detained to determine elements on which the asylum claim is based and which cannot be established without detention, within the limits of places in CPRs. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Legislative amendments underlined that applicants do not have access to second-line reception (SAI), with the exception of resettled applicants, displaced persons from Ukraine and Afghanistan, and applicants with vulnerabilities. All female applicants are considered to be vulnerable and thus have access to SAI. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
According to Law No 50/2023, applicants can provide a financial guarantee as an alternative to detention. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Detention during the asylum procedure |
According to Law No 50/2023, applicants may be detained in hotspots or CPRs when lodging an application at the border to assess their right to enter the country if they arrive from a safe country of origin or by evading relevant border checks. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Legislative |
|
Reception of applicants for international protection |
Law No 50/2023 allows for the derogation of certain laws to facilitate the opening and operating of hotspots and government reception centres. It also allows the Italian Red Cross to manage the Lampedusa hotspot. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Resettlement and humanitarian admissions |
The Ministry of the Interior, Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation signed a new memorandum of understanding with the National Institute for the Promotion of the Health of Migrant Populations (INMP), UNHCR, the Community of Saints Egidio, Federation of Evangelical Churches and ARCI to resettle 1,500 refugees living in Libya over a 3-year period. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Special procedures to assess protection needs |
The establishment of a first centre for accelerated returns at the border was announced for applicants arriving from safe countries of origin. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |
|
Italy |
2023 |
Policy |
|
Interpretation services |
The National Commission for the Right to Asylum (NAC), in cooperation with UNHCR and the EUAA, produced a handbook for interpreters. |
EUAA Asylum Report 2024 |