This Inform maps national approaches to the safe country of origin (SCO) and safe third country (STC) concepts, in the context of the forthcoming Asylum Procedure Regulation applicable from June 2026. It compares legislation, policies and practices governing the designation and application of SCOs and STCs, including the use of national lists, ad hoc assessments and accelerated asylum procedures. The analysis was prepared on the basis of contributions from 26 EMN Member and Observer Countries.

This ad hoc query examines whether EMN Member Countries plan to change their age assessment procedures in light of Article 25 of Regulation (EU) 2024/1348 on multidisciplinary age assessments. It explores which authorities or external providers are involved in the procedure, and how multidisciplinary teams carry out the assessment in practice. The query also covers how applicants are interviewed and how conclusions are drawn and communicated.

This ad hoc query examines whether EMN Member and Observer Countries have age assessment procedures in place, how these procedures are conducted, and which actors are responsible. It also explores the challenges encountered and how they are addressed. Finally, it examines whether the respondent countries plan to introduce a new procedure or amend an existing one in the near future.

This ad hoc query explores whether national legislation provides for a formal decision extending the transfer deadline that is distinct from the transfer decision, and whether such a decision may be appealed. It also maps existing legal provisions on absconding in connection with the extension of transfer deadlines and gathers information on national practices when an applicant absconds and subsequently reappears.

The Latest Asylum Trends 2025 provides an annual overview of asylum activity in EU+ countries, covering asylum applications (per capita), the main nationalities of applicants, the top receiving countries, recognition rates, pending cases and the number of beneficiaries of temporary protection following the war in Ukraine. It also reviews policy developments in the EU+ and provides a 2026 outlook, examining, inter alia, geopolitical uncertainty and latent displacement risks.

This EMN Inform provides an overview of the border procedures currently applied by EMN Member Countries under the Asylum Procedures Directive. It mainly examines the types of procedures, authorities involved, processing times, types of decisions taken, and safeguards for applicants with special needs. The Inform highlights differences in national practices and presents them as they exist prior to the implementation of the mandatory Asylum Border Procedure under the Pact on Migration and Asylum.

This ad hoc query examines whether national procedures allow asylum applicants to respond to an intended negative first-instance decision before it is officially finalised, and whether there are administrative mechanisms to object to a first-instance decision before filing a judicial appeal.

This EMN Inform provides an overview of how EMN Member and Observer Countries ensure access to vocational education and training (VET) for beneficiaries of international protection and applicants for international protection. It examines existing procedures, the incentive mechanisms used to encourage enrolment, and the main challenges and good practices identified across countries.

This ad hoc query maps the legislation and current practices in EU Member States regarding the use of the European travel document for the return of irregularly staying third-country nationals (TCNs). It provides an overview of whether the document is used in practice, which third countries accept it, whether established operational procedures exist, and to what extent the document is recognised for transit purposes.

This ad hoc query seeks to gather information on how EU Member States implement the procedures for making, registering and lodging applications for international protection under the Asylum Procedures Directive (2013/32/EU). It addresses how the process is organised in law and practice, the accessibility of registration centres, and the assessment of applicants’ vulnerabilities. The query also covers the use of extended registration deadlines, difficulties in meeting registration timelines, and measures taken when applicants cannot be registered on time.

This ad hoc query, which informed the preparation of an EMN Inform, collected information on national lists of safe countries of origin and safe third countries, including their adoption and use. It examined exceptions for specific regions or categories of applicants and the procedures applied to their claims. It also explored the application of the safe third country concept, including assessments, safeguards and practical challenges. Finally, it gathered information on sources used, case law, good practices and planned adaptations to the new Asylum Procedure Regulation.

This ad hoc query examines the systems and processes used by EMN Member and Observer Countries for scheduling and confirming interviews for applicants for international protection. It investigates the extent of automation used in coordinating the schedules of all participants (applicants, interviewers, interpreters, and legal representatives) and identifies recent developments in booking procedures. 

This ad hoc query examines whether EMN Member and Observer Countries offer or intend to offer individual legal advice to applicants for international protection during the asylum procedure. It considers how the extent of need and allocation of resources are determined, whether certain sub-groups of applicants are distinguished, and what challenges and benefits arise from implementing such services.

The Belgian authorities launched this ad hoc query to understand how other Member States provide information to third-country nationals in the context of return, in order to fulfil their obligation under the Return Directive, and to assess whether making this information available via a website or IT application would be considered sufficient to meet these requirements.

This ad hoc query examines how EMN Member Countries use new technologies to address language barriers during return procedures for third-country nationals. It investigates the deployment of tools such as translation software, handheld devices, mobile apps, and artificial intelligence throughout the return process. The query also reviews relevant legal and data protection frameworks and the application of these tools in key return-related activities like identification, communication of decisions, and detention procedures.

In its annual report, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) provides a comprehensive overview of asylum figures for 2024, along with key internal developments and initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and decision-making. The report also addresses upcoming procedural changes, international cooperation efforts, new competences related to statelessness and vulnerable applicants, staffing and organisational improvements, and clarifications on operational and budgetary resources.

This ad hoc query, which informed the preparation of an EMN Inform, collected information on how Member and Observer Countries currently implement asylum border procedures. It covers the main steps of the asylum border procedure, including procedural stages, responsible authorities, legal bases for decisions, measures for vulnerable applicants and security risks, as well as good practices and key challenges.

This EMN Inform maps how EMN Member Countries organise their first instance appeals procedures and examine operational changes implemented between 2018 and 2024. It delivers a comprehensive comparative analysis, reflecting on procedural safeguards, key challenges, and good practices observed across the EU.

This ad hoc query compares the existing legislation in EMN Member and Observer Countries regarding the granting of protection statuses to family members of beneficiaries of international protection, as well as recent changes in practices in light of the regime change in Syria.

This ad hoc query, launched by the Finnish National Contact Point of the EMN, explores whether and how EMN Member and Observer Countries measure the efficiency of their international protection procedures. It looks in particular at indicators such as the number of interviews conducted per full-time equivalent (FTE), the average length of these interviews, and the number of decisions issued per FTE. It also considers the tools used for these assessments and the actors responsible for carrying them out.

This ad hoc query, which informed the preparation of an EMN Inform, collected information on how Member and Observer Countries organise vocational education and training (VET) for applicants and beneficiaries of international protection. It covers programme structures, admission conditions, support measures, incentives, obligations, and the recognition of prior skills, as well as good practices and key challenges in delivering VET.

This ad hoc query, launched by EMN Belgium, explores whether authorities in EMN Member Countries are permitted to search the electronic devices of irregularly staying third-country nationals in the context of return. It examines the legal conditions under which such searches may take place, the categories of individuals concerned, the availability of related statistics, and the perceived impact on identification processes. The query also invites information on challenges encountered and any planned legislative developments in this area.

This ad hoc query examines the voluntary return procedures for Ukrainian nationals granted temporary protection in EU Member States, focusing on the support provided for their return and reintegration. The aim is to understand the various national approaches to facilitating voluntary returns, including whether reintegration assistance is offered and how these programmes are funded.

This ad hoc query investigates how healthcare services for applicants for international protection are organised in EMN Member and Observer Countries. It examines which authorities are responsible for providing such services, who covers the costs, and what types of services adult applicants are entitled to. It also explores how applicants access medical treatment, whether reception centres have healthcare personnel on staff, and how healthcare services are managed during a mass influx of migrants.

This ad hoc query examines the obligation imposed on Member States to make an audio recording of the personal interview of applicants for international protection, as outlined in the Pact on Migration and Asylum. It explores the means currently used by some EMN Member Countries to record, store, and transmit recordings of personal interviews, as well as how others intend to implement this obligation in the future.