THEMATIC BRIEFING | SEPTEMBER 2021 Statelessness determination and protection in Europe 11 and lawyers should have the right expertise, with access to training and information. Access to the procedure should be facilitated at the right level for the country context (for example, centrally or locally). Information about the procedure must be available to potential applicants in a language they understand, and this should be widely disseminated (for example online, through information campaigns, and/or individual counselling). There should be cooperation between agencies that may have contact with stateless people so potential applicants can be referred to the procedure. Safeguards in law permitting State authorities to initiate the procedure ex officio (on their own initiative) are also recommended.41 To prevent discrimination, application procedures should be flexible and allow for both written and oral submissions. If required, application forms should be simplified. Applications should be permitted in any language and/or free translation and interpretation provided to address language barriers. There should be no time limit to submit an application and no condition of lawful stay, as stateless migrants often lack the documentation required to apply for entry or residence permits.42 Good practice Most countries, including Hungary, Moldova, Spain, Bulgaria, France, Latvia, Switzerland, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, do not impose time limits, fees, or lawful residence requirements on SDP applicants. Applications can be made in writing and orally in any language in Hungary and Moldova. In Bulgaria, France, Moldova, Spain, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom, applications are reviewed by a centralised decision-making body, with at least some training being provided to the authorities responsible for examining statelessness claims. In Spain, applications can be submitted to the Asylum and Refugee Office in Madrid, as well as at police stations and immigration offices elsewhere in the country. Barriers to access GOOD PRACTICE Flexible access to the SDP in Moldova Applications to Moldova’s SDP are assessed by the dedicated Statelessness and Documentation Unit under the Bureau of Migration and Asylum. The procedure can be initiated orally or in writing, by the applicant or ex officio. Interpreters are made available if required. There is no specific application form, but the application must contain a clear and detailed description of relevant facts and evidence. There is no application fee, applicants are not required to be lawfully staying in the territory, and there is no time limit to submit an application. There is cooperation between relevant authorities and any State authority receiving an application must refer it to the Statelessness and Documentation Unit for examination.43 Documentation requirements Some countries impose documentation requirements on applicants that significantly hinder access to the SDP and protection. In Latvia, applicants must provide an identity document and proof of inability to acquire another nationality (although there