The Asylum Information Database (AIDA) is a database managed by the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) containing detailed information on asylum procedures, reception conditions, detention, and the content of international protection in 23 European countries. The country reports are written by national experts in cooperation with a variety of stakeholders, ranging from civil society organisations and lawyers to national authorities. The reports are edited and verified by ECRE. The database is widely relied upon by European and national policy makers, legal practitioners, and Courts.

This briefing provides an overview of key trends in asylum in Europe in 2021 as documented in AIDA. It demonstrates that while asylum systems are in place and functioning across Europe, unfortunately the rights of people in need of international protection are still regularly violated, and significant gaps in national asylum systems continue to be reported. Reception systems came under pressure in many countries, while detention of asylum applicants remained commonplace, rather than being a limited exception.

Read: full overview