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.