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),1 that assesses European countries’ law, policy, and practice on the protection of stateless people and on 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 27 countries in Europe so far, with some 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: (https://index.statelessness.eu/about/ methodology). 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 Statelessness Index website (https:// index.statelessness.eu/about/methodology). 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 statelessness determination procedure leading 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: 1. A dedicated statelessness determination procedure, leading to a dedicated statelessness status; 2. Procedures in which statelessness can be identified or other routes through which stateless people could regularise their stay or access their rights; or 3. A dedicated statelessness status without a formal procedure to determine statelessness. This briefing presents good practice and barriers to the protection of stateless people across the 27 Statelessness Index countries. Section 3 focuses on countries that have a dedicated SDP leading to a dedicated statelessness status (Group 1 in the Statelessness Index). Other Sections draw on examples from all 27 countries. The country examples highlighted throughout this briefing are illustrative and all sources can be found in the country surveys available to download from the Index website. The Statelessness Index data is updated on an annual basis, so the overall assessment may change from year to year. This briefing was published in September 2021 based on data which is accurate as of January 2021.