Annual Policy Report 2008

This Policy Report gives an overview of the key political debates and developments in the field of migration and asylum in Austria in 2008. One of the main policy and legislative developments was the debate on the criteria for granting humanitarian residence which led to a request by the Constitutional Court to specify the criteria in the Settlement and Residence Law. Another important development was the establishment of a National Action Plan on Trafficking in Human Beings. The most important institutional development constituted the establishment of the Asylum Court which – as of 1 July 2008 – replaced the Independent Federal Asylum Senate as the second instance asylum authority.