Fast track asylum process given good report

A pilot project to slash the length of time taken to process asylum applications has received a positive report. Five months in, more cases have been handled than expected at the fast-track asylum centre in Zurich. The Juch asylum centre opened in January with the aim of taking decisions on applications for asylum within 140 days, or nearly five months, in each case. 669 cases began the faster procedure and decisions were taken in 319 of them. 44 of them were positive, meaning the applicant was granted asylum. 63 were turned down and ordered to leave the country. In 158 cases decisions were not taken under rules known as the Dublin procedure, where applicants who have already applied for asylum in another country are returned to continue the procedure there. A further 54 cases received a negative decision, but the applicant was granted temporary admission. Around 10% of applicants who had their case rejected lodged an appeal. One of the key parts of the test ...