This ad hoc query examines the challenges faced by applicants and beneficiaries of international protection in accessing autonomous housing and how EMN Member and Observer Countries organise the provision of support to this group.

This ad hoc query focuses on the early detection and identification of presumed victims of torture or other forms of inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment in international and temporary protection procedures. It inter alia collects information from EMN Member Countries on guidance and training available to competent authorities, on referrals to medico-legal assessments and use of medico-legal documentation as well as on challenges and good practices in this field.

This ad hoc query addresses the human resource management strategies in Asylum and Dublin Units in EMN Member Countries. It provides information on the division of the workload between the different institutions involved in the asylum procedure within the EMN Member Countries, on the number of decisions issued as well as on the methodologies in place to ensure a sufficient number of employees to guarantee decision-making. 

This ad hoc query collects information on the submission, processing and examination of applications for family reunification with beneficiaries of international protection. It also focuses on documentary requirements which apply in this context. Finally, it touches upon family reunification with and for children, including children coming of age.

This MPI Europe study examines the challenges sponsorship programs have faced in recruiting, retaining, and diversifying the sponsors for refugees in community sponsorship programs, as well as strategies that programs could and in some cases already use to overcome these obstacles. 

The Czech Ministry of Interior is currently looking into the possibility of using real-time speech-translating devices during the asylum procedure, especially during the interviews. It launched an ad hoc query to find out if other Member States are using this type of system in the asylum procedure.

The Luxembourg Ombudsman for Children and Youth (OKaJu), together with UNICEF Luxembourg, is carrying out research on the situation of unaccompanied minors (UAMs) in Luxembourg. In this context, they would like to collect information on good practices in other EU Member States with a focus on the guardianship of UAMs.

The Belgian authorities are looking to improve/review the special residence procedure for unaccompanied foreign minors, known as the Best Interest Procedure. In this context, Belgium launched three ad hoc queries to seek information from other Member States on (i) similar residence procedures specifically for UAMs, (ii) procedures followed in case return to the country of origin is considered and (iii) steps taken to implement return decisions.

This inform provides up-to-date and comparative data on resettlement, humanitarian admission and sponsorship schemes. It presents recent developments in EMN Member Countries between 2016 to 2022 and offers a valuable resource for countries launching new programmes to learn from established programmes in other countries. 

Children who migrate with their parents face unique challenges and vulnerabilities. That's why it's crucial that their right to express their views is fully implemented in international protection procedures. This inform provides an overview of how the right of accompanied children to be heard is being implemented in EMN Member Countries and Norway, including good practices, challenges, and lessons learned.

In the event of implicit withdrawal or abandonment of an asylum application, Art. 28 par. 2 of the directive 2013/32/EU allows Member States to determine in their legislation a time limit of at least nine months, after which the applicant’s case can no longer be reopened or the new application may be treated as a subsequent application. The German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees launched an ad hoc query to enquire whether and how the Member States transposed this provision.

The Dutch National Contact Point (NCP) to the European Migration Network launched an ad hoc query on the existing data on unaccompanied minors (UAMs) outside of international protection procedures in other Member Countries. With this query, the Dutch NCP wanted to get a better picture of the total influx of UAMs in a European perspective.

Unaccompanied minors who have little or no perspective of receiving a residence permit within EU Member States, may have co-existing problems such as mental health issues or substance addiction. This ad hoc query examines how EU Member States deal with this specific group and how they could improve the reception and supervision of these young persons.

How do Member States regulate the mobility and residence of persons already granted international protection status in another Member State? What are the applicable rules for transfer of responsibility of a beneficiary of international protection?
 

Did Member States suspend decision-making on applications for international protection from Afghan nationals when the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan in August 2021? This ad hoc query launched by Belgium examines the nature and consequences of such suspension in terms of hearings, protection statuses etc.

This comparative report provides an overview of the use of digital tools and remote working methods in asylum processes in 23 European countries. It questions the risks and benefits of such use and highlights several fundamental guarantees and procedural safeguards which must continue to apply to ensure that they do not infringe the existing CEAS framework.