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
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection A Joint Ministerial Decision on an internship programme for refugees, issued in August 2025, aimed to strengthen social cohesion and employment through the organised integration of refugees and immigrants into the labour market. 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 Policy Applicants with special needs Persons with special needs in the asylum procedure In accordance with the amended circular (2964/07.01.2025), as of January 2025, the Reception and Identification Service can proceed with the full registration of unaccompanied minors in Malakasa and Diavata, without the need to refer them to the competent Asylum Offices. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The "HERMES-2025" preparedness exercise was implemented to enhance operational preparedness and coordination of all involved bodies in addressing emergency situations. 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 Procedures at second and higher instances Lawyers of the Registry of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, providing legal aid and support to applicants at second instance, resumed their duties in January 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Greece Flag Greece 2025 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance The Project of Prima Facie, i.e. the issuance of decisions from the file for certain nationalities, in 2025 applied only to applicants from Palestine and Afghanistan. For all other nationalities previously included in the project (Syria, Eritrea, Yemen and Sudan), interviews on the merits were conducted. 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
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Legislative Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The federal government adopted two laws to transpose the ten regulations and a directive under the Pact into German law, reforming the airport procedure into an asylum border procedure, establishing a return border procedure, and establishing screening of individuals entering the EU irregularly. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Legislative The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure The federal government adopted two laws to transpose the ten regulations and a directive under the Pact into German law, introducing the solidarity mechanism for EU Member States under pressure. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The federal government adopted two laws to transpose the ten regulations and a directive under the Pact into German law, foreseeing the establishment of specific centres for applicants who already have international protection in another Member State. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Family reunifications for beneficiaries of subsidiary protection were suspended on 24 July 2025 for a period of 2 years. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Legislative Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection The federal government adopted two laws to transpose the ten regulations and a directive under the Pact into German law, introducing earlier access to the labour market for applicants, in some cases after 3 months, expanding the circumstances when the obligation to reside at a certain place and regularly report can be imposed, and allowing material reception conditions to be limited or withdrawn in additional cases. Applicants may also receive material reception conditions only if they reside in the reception centre that was allocated to them. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Policy Processing asylum applications at first instance Processing asylum applications at first instance BAMF prioritised reducing the backlog of cases which had been pending for a longer time. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Policy The Dublin procedure The Dublin procedure Pilot projects were launched in Hamburg-Rahlstedt and Eisenhüttenstadt to establish specific centres for applicants in The Dublin procedurewho are to be transferred to Poland. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
Germany Flag Germany 2025 Legislative Special procedures to assess protection needs Special procedures to assess protection needs The federal government adopted two laws to transpose the ten regulations and a directive under the Pact into German law, creating the possibility for the federal government to designate by ordinance safe countries of origin and safe third countries. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Legislative Detention Detention during the asylum procedure The Law Aimed at Facilitating the Continued Detention of Persons Convicted of Particularly Serious Offense and Presenting a High Risk of Recidivism was adopted. Decree No 2025-1345 implements the law, considering the annulments by the Council of State and making the necessary regulatory amendments to CESEDA. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Legislative Content of protection Content of protection The annual circular on integration defined priorities for the year: language learning, social orientation, employment, implementation of the AGIR programme and the expansion of territorial reception and integration contracts (CTAIs). EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Policy Reception of applicants for international protection Reception of applicants for international protection As part of the cost-saving plan resulting in a reduction of the national reception system, approximately 6,920 reception places were closed throughout 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The AGIR programme was fully deployed in mainland France to offer individualised support to beneficiaries of international protection for their integration. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Policy Content of protection Content of protection Family reference forms for beneficiaries of international protection were gradually phased out. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Policy Access to procedure icon Access to procedure The operationalisation of the France Asile territorial hubs begun with a pilot site opening in the Val-d’Oise department in May 2025. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Policy Resettlement Resettlement and humanitarian admissions New protocols were signed on the implementation of humanitarian corridors for Syrians and Iraqis from Lebanon. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Policy Content of protection Content of protection The Opening Schools to Parents for Children's Success (OEPRE) programme was revised. EUAA Asylum Report 2026
France Flag France 2025 Legislative Access to information Access to information Amendments to CESEDA allow authorities to electronically send the asylum seekers’ guide to applicants. A paper copy is only provided in exceptional circumstances. EUAA Asylum Report 2026