On Monday 29 January, the Ministry of the Interior and the United States Department of Homeland Security signed a joint statement of intent on deepening scientific and technological cooperation in the field of homeland security. 

The Ministry of the Interior has commissioned a study on the reflection periods granted to victims of human trafficking during which the victims can decide whether to cooperate with the authorities in apprehending those suspected of human trafficking. At the same time, it will be examined how suspicions of trading in sexual services are taken into account in cases where denial of stay is being considered. The study will be carried out by the European Institute for Crime Prevention and Control, affiliated with the United Nations (HEUNI).

The Ministry of the Interior began a survey concerning the asylum procedure on 30 November. The project will begin with a tendering process to select a party to carry out the survey. The purpose of the independent survey is to identify development needs concerning the asylum procedure, examine the cooperation between different authorities and assess the practices of the administrative courts for dealing with asylum-related issues. The objective is to determine how the asylum procedure could be streamlined and shortened and how the quality of the procedure could be improved in the future, while also better safeguarding the legal protection of asylum seekers.