New regulation accelerates asylum procedures
The Minister of Justice has made changes to the regulation on foreigners (775/2017) regarding asylum procedures and services to applicants of international protection. The changes aim mainly at accelerating the processing of unfounded applications for international protection from citizens of safe countries of origin, the so-called priority procedure. See below for a list of main changes.
Accelerated asylum procedures
- In cases subject to priority procedure decisions can be made without parallel reasoning.
- A manifestly unfounded application for international protection can be subject to priority procedure even though another member state of the Dublin cooperation is responsible for processing the application.
Expulsions and return prohibitions
- Applicants for international protection from safe countries of origin whose applications are rejected shall generally be expelled and subject to a prohibition against entry to the Schengen Area without being given a time limit to return home voluntarily.
- Applicants for international protection from safe countries of origin who withdraw their applications must return home voluntarily within 7 days or else be subject to a prohibition against entry to the Schengen Area.
Voluntary return
- Assistance for voluntary returns is generally only available for applicants for international protection who are not from safe countries of origin.
Right to services
- Applicants for international protection do not receive allowances after withdrawing their applications or when an enforceable decision has been made in their case.
- Applicants for international protection from safe countries of origin can be denied services when an enforceable decision has been made in their case.