The Statelessness index The Statelessness Index (https://index.statelessness.eu/) is an online comparative tool developed and maintained by the European Network on Statelessness (ENS), that assesses European countries’ law, policy, and practice on the protection of stateless people and the prevention and reduction of statelessness against international norms and good practice. ENS has worked with its members to research and compile comparative information on statelessness in 34 countries in Europe so far, with further countries to be added in future annual updates. For information on the Statelessness Index methodology, including how country data is collected and analysed, see the ‘Methodology’ section of the Statelessness Index website. How is statelessness determination and status assessed in the Index? The Statelessness Index uses a set of benchmarks to assess countries’ law, policy, and practice on statelessness determination and the protection status of stateless people. These benchmarks are drawn from international and regional human rights standards, soft law, relevant reports, and consultation with experts. The benchmarks and their sources can be viewed in more detail in the ‘List of norms and good practices’ available on the ‘Methodology’ section of the Statelessness Index website, and are outlined across this briefing. The Statelessness Index analyses whether countries have a definition of a stateless person that is aligned with the 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons, whether they have a dedicated procedure to determine statelessness, whether that procedure leads to a dedicated statelessness status, and whether adequate training is provided to government bodies, lawyers, and the judiciary. Different benchmarks are then assessed depending on whether the country has a dedicated procedure to determine statelessness. This briefing presents good practice and barriers to the protection of stateless people across the 34 Statelessness Index countries. Most of the analysis in this briefing focuses on countries that have a procedure to determine statelessness, highlighting best practice examples in each aspect of the procedure and the protection status granted thereof. Some sections draw on examples from all 34 Index countries, or note best practice from beyond Europe. The country examples highlighted throughout this briefing are illustrative and all sources can be found in the country surveys available to download from each country’s page on the Index website. The Statelessness Index data is updated regularly, so the overall assessment may change accordingly. This briefing was published in October 2025 based on data which is accurate as of September 2025.