Public infrastructure, services and provisions

Vervoerdersverplichtingen zijn verplichtingen die op grond van regelgeving aan vervoerders zijn opgedragen. Deze verplichtingen dragen feitelijk bij aan de immigratiecontrole die door de overheid wordt uitgeoefend aan de Schengenbuitengrenzen. Commerciële vervoerders (luchtvaartmaatschappijen en rederijen) die passagiers van buiten het Schengengrondgebied aanvoeren moeten aan de volgende vier verplichtingen voldoen: de terugvervoerplicht, de zorgplicht, de afschriftplicht en de passagiersinformatieplicht. Met uitzondering van de terugvervoerplicht zijn de verplichtingen van toepassing voordat passagiers zich aandienen aan de Schengenbuitengrens. Indien een vervoerder handelt in strijd met de vervoerdersverplichtingen kan het Openbaar Ministerie (OM) overgaan tot strafrechtelijke vervolging. Op overtreding van de vervoerdersverplichtingen staat een boete, in theorie kunnen aan vervoerders gevangenisstraffen worden opgelegd. In dit advies wordt met betrekking tot de vervoerdersverplichtingen de volgende hoofdvraag beantwoord: Waarom, hoe en met welke gevolgen vond privatisering plaats in het migratiebeleid en welke lessen zijn daaruit te destilleren? Wanneer het vervoer van een passagier wordt geweigerd, voorkom je met vervoerdersverplichtingen dat een passagier zonder de juiste documenten, de Schengen-buitengrens bereikt. Hierdoor dragen de vervoerdersverplichtingen feitelijk bij aan een effectievere uitvoering van de immigratiecontrole. Ook wanneer een passagier wiens vervoer is geweigerd zich beroept op asielmotieven, is de vervoerder nu niet verplicht deze passagier te vervoeren. Een geweigerde passagier kan een beroep doen op asiel. Wanneer een vervoerder deze passagier toch overweegt te vervoeren, bestaat er de mogelijkheid om de zaak ter consultatie voor te leggen aan de Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND). Uit onderzoek van de ACVZ blijkt dat van deze mogelijkheid in de praktijk geen gebruik wordt gemaakt. Er bestaat voor vervoerders geen verplichting om de IND te consulteren. Bovendien zijn er indicaties dat grondpersoneel niet in staat is om een beroep op asielmotieven te onderkennen. De ACVZ beveelt aan om de procedure in de Vreemdelingencirculaire te schrappen. Wanneer een passagier geen of onjuiste documenten bezit en stelt dat zijn leven in gevaar is, zouden vervoerders dit verplicht aan de IND moeten voorleggen. Dat stelt de ACVZ in haar advies ‘Vervoerdersverplichtingen’.

EU-detachering – soms ook wel de A1-constructie genoemd – kent verschillende vormen. Van het detacheren van experts en specialisten tot het inzetten van arbeidskrachten tegen zo laag mogelijke kosten, ook wel concurrentiedetachering genoemd. Deze laatste vorm wordt in toenemende mate door Nederlandse werkgevers toegepast, vooral binnen sectoren als de bouw, productiewerk, transport, landbouw en de vleesverwerkende industrie. Werkgevers en uitzendbureaus in deze sectoren gebruiken via detacheringsconstructies arbeidsmigranten van binnen en buiten de EU als een manier om te besparen op arbeid. In vergelijking met werkgevers in andere Europese landen maken Nederlandse werkgevers veelvuldig gebruik van een flexibele schil van personeel. Hierbij kan gedacht worden aan tijdelijke contracten, nulurencontracten, oproepkrachten, uitzendkrachten en zzp'ers. EU-detachering is een variant van zo’n flexibele arbeidsrelatie. Ondoorzichtige constructies maken controles lastig De Adviesraad Migratie vindt concurrentiedetachering problematisch. De (lange) detacheringsketen van verschillende partijen in het zendende en ontvangende land met een wirwar aan regels en arbeidscontracten, zorgt ervoor dat het onduidelijk is wat de rechten van mensen zijn. De complexe regelgeving van EU-detacheringwordt gebruikt voor ontduiking van verantwoordelijkheden. Dat maakt het lastig om vast te stellen wie precies waarvoor verantwoordelijk is. Daarbij pakt regelgeving in elk EU-land net weer anders uit en bilaterale verdragen met niet EU landen bepalen bijvoorbeeld of iemand een uitkering voor arbeidsongeschiktheid ook daadwerkelijk ontvangt. Het is haast onmogelijk voor een gedetacheerde arbeidsmigrant om precies te weten waar hij of zij recht op heeft, laat staan dat er wordt overgaan tot actie bij het niet nakomen van arbeidsvoorwaarden of bij slechte arbeidsomstandigheden. Dat geldt ook voor de gemeenten waar deze mensen wonen als voor de Nederlandse Arbeidsinspectie. Zij kunnen door een gebrek aan capaciteit, opsporingsbevoegdheden en het ontbreken van gegevens, niet goed handhaven. Werkgevers kunnen zich op hun beurt achter complexe regelgeving verschuilen en hier misbruik van maken.

Bedingt durch das Schengener Abkommen aus dem Jahr 1992, die Abschaffung der Grenzkontrollen und die Einführung einer einheitlichen Währung hat die grenzüberschreitende Mobilität in der Großregion Saar - Lor - Lux - Rheinland-Pfalz - Wallonie - Französische und Deutschsprachige Gemeinschaft Belgiens in den vergangenen beiden Jahrzehnten zunehmend an Bedeutung gewonnen. Eine besondere Rolle spielen dabei die atypischen Grenzgängerinnen und Grenzgänger, bei denen der Arbeitsplatz noch in der Herkunftsregion liegt, jedoch der Wohnort ins benachbarte Ausland verlagert wurde. So hat sich beispielsweise die Zahl der atypischen Grenzgängerinnen und Grenzgänger mit luxemburgischer Staatsangehörigkeit, die regelmäßig aus der Großregion ins Großherzogtum Luxemburg zu ihrem Arbeitsplatz pendelt, seit 1999 verdreifacht. Als Wohnstandorte werden von den atypischen Grenzgängerinnen und Grenzgängern Gemeinden entlang günstiger Verkehrsachsen bevorzugt, die durch eine gut ausgebaute Infrastruktur entlang der Grenze die täglichen Pendlerbewegungen ermöglichen. Die Zuwanderung führt in den beiden Untersuchungsregionen Rheinland-Pfalz und Saarland zu einem Bevölkerungswachstum, das in Verbindung mit dem hohen Grenzgängeraufkommen zu neuen Herausforderungen im deutsch-luxemburgischen Grenzraum beiträgt. Diese bringen diverse Konsequenzen für die Planung und die zukünftige Entwicklung mit sich.

The migration of the global population to urban areas has strained the resources of cities worldwide. To address these challenges governments are turning to Smart Cities to provide sustainable infrastructure that meets the needs of citizens. The smart city industry is projected to reach 1.56 $ trillion by 2020. Smart city initiatives are focussing on smart parking systems to enhance regulated parking spots with occupancy sensors that provide additional features & services to parking management companies as well as drivers by reducing time spent looking for parking, traffic and CO2 emissions. Monitored parking spaces will be a global emerging market by 2020 when 1% of on-street parking spaces will be controlled. The European Parking Association estimates that there are 12M parking spaces available for smart parking (in European cities with more than 20K habitants). As a result, they estimate that there are an additional 190M spaces likely to become regulated in the near future, equalling a huge potential market for Fastprk-2 in Europe alone. Considering the competitors & the time-to-market we aim to manage 60M parking spaces for 2019. FastPrk-2 is an innovative full featured smart on-street parking solution, featuring enhanced services resulting from almost 100% accurate occupancy sensors & a system architecture that provides cutting edge HW-based sensor technology & SW-based tools that optimize transport management through innovative applications that analyse diverse parking related data, minimizing maintenance costs and operational processes. Worldsensing is a cutting edge tech company, a market leader in innovative wireless solutions, & a pioneer in IoT technologies, with a strong executive & advisory team, as well as the strategic investors Cisco, Mitsui and FJME. Worldsensing has 2 main product portfolios: Smart Traffic solutions for Smart Cities and Industry Monitoring solutions. It has >30 employees & an increasing turnover of 2.7M€.

NANOREM is designed to unlock the potential of nanoremediation and so support both the appropriate use of nanotechnology in restoring land and aquifer resources and the development of the knowledge-based economy at a world leading level for the benefit of a wide range of users in the EU environmental sector. NANOREM uniquely takes a holistic approach to examining how the potential for nanoremediation can be developed and applied in practice, to enhance a stronger development of nanoremediation markets and applications in the EU. NANOREM’s ambitious objectives are: 1) Identification of the most appropriate nanoremediation technological approaches to achieve a step change in practical remediation performance. Development of lower cost production techniques and production at commercially relevant scales, also for large scale applications. 2) Determination of the mobility and migration potential of nanoparticles in the subsurface, and their potential to cause harm, focusing on the NP types most likely to be adopted into practical use in the EU. 3) Development of a comprehensive tool box for field scale observation of nanoremediation performance and determination of the fate of NPs in the subsurface, including analytical methods, field measurement devices, decision support and numerical tools. 4) Dissemination and dialogue with key stakeholder interests to ensure that research, development and demonstration meets end-user and regulatory requirements and information and knowledge is shared widely across the EU. 5) Provide applications at representative scales including field sites to validate cost, performance, and fate and transport findings. The NANOREM consortium is multidisciplinary, cross-sectoral and transnational. It includes 28 partners from 12 countries organized in 11 work packages. The consortium includes 18 of the leading nanoremediation research groups in the EU, 10 industry and service providers (8 SMEs) and one organisation with policy and regulatory interest.

"Theoretical background and objectives The explanation of the human capacity to cooperate in larger groups constitutes one of the major puzzles that preoccupy evolutionary biologists and anthropologists. A currently popular explana­tion, multilevel selection theory (e.g., Wilson 2002), proposes that the human capacity for collec­ti­ve action has evolved by way of a process of intergroup competition in which cooperative beha­viour is selected at the group level because more cooperative groups are more successful (in terms of population growth, outcomes of intergroup conflicts, and cultural imitation of successful groups by less successful ones) than less cooperative groups. Many theorists of cultural group selection argue that this evolutionary process should have produced a behavioural pattern of “paro­chialism” (Bowles and Gintis 2004), which combines ingroup favouritism with outgroup hosti­li­ty. The question of the evolutionary basis of human collective action is relevant for the study of immigration and integration because if correct, the theory of cultural group selection has several important implications for interethnic relations, for instance that intragroup cooperation will be more difficult in culturally heterogeneous communities (see project 6.2) or that intergroup conflict is more likely to occur when cultural differences between groups are stark (see projects in cluster 3), especially if groups live highly segregated lives (see projects in cluster 4). This pro­ject inquires into what biologists (Tinbergen 1963) refer to as 'ultimate', i.e. evolutio­na­­­ry, causes of intra- and between-group behaviour. It does so along two empirical paths of in­quiry. The first, implemented by collaborators Garcia and van den Bergh, mathematically models group selection processes and conducts numerical simulations under varying parameters. The second component of the project, in which the research unit is involved, tests the behavioural implications of cultural group selection theories in a series of public goods experiments. Research design, data and methodology A series of pilot experiments was conducted to establish whether different results were obtained in online experiments using a web-based tool, or classical laboratory experiments. Because these re­vealed no significant behavioural differences and online experiments were easier and less cost­ly to implement, we stuck to online experiments except in the second experiment, where groups repeatedly interacted, which was too impractical to implement online. In a first experiment we tested whether more homogeneous ingroups were more successful in overcoming public good provision problems, by giving subjects information on several cultural characteristics of their fellow group members (religion and political affiliation), as well as on a trivial trait as a control (birth month). The experiment included a further control condition in which all traits were ran­dom­ly assigned. Second, we conducted single-group repeated public goods experiments to in­vestigate whether more homogeneous groups were more successful in resisting the trend of de­creasing cooperation levels that is routinely observed in repeated games. In a third set of expe­ri­ments, we tested whether between-group competition for a valued good increased within-group cooperation, and additionally investigated whether this was more strongly the case if groups were culturally different from one another (using political affiliation and German vs. Dutch natio­nality). Finally, we introduced a punishment option in the between-group competitive game, and tested whether between-group competition led to increased punishment of free riders. Findings The first experiment revealed significant ingroup favouritism, but we found no evidence of out­group hostility as culturally contrasting fellow group members were not treated more unfa­vou­rab­ly than randomly assigned group members. The second experiment showed higher levels of cooperation in homogeneous groups, but group homogeneity did not moderate the decline in coope­ration levels across the rounds of the game. Contrary to the parochialism thesis, but in line with recent work in sociology and experimental economics on the effects of diversity on coope­ration (see project 6.2), we find that group homogeneity raises contribution levels of individuals re­gard­less of whether they are in a minority position in a group dominated by cultu­ral­ly different others. This suggests that the positive effect of group homogeneity on coope­ration is not prima­rily a result of parochial ingroup/outgroup biases, but due to other advantages of homo­geneous groups. The third experiment showed that in line with group selection theories, intergroup com­pe­ti­tion raises within-group cooperation levels: Subjects com­pet­ing in a cultural in­group against an outgroup cooperated significantly more than those who were placed in an out­group compet­ing against a group of cultural ingroup members. However, the size of this paro­chialism effect was small compared to that of intergroup compe­ti­tion. In line with the expecta­tions, the final experiment showed that subjects were more likely to punish free riders in inter­group compete­tion settings. Taken together, the results provide strong evidence that group cooperation increa­ses with group homogeneity and intergroup competition. Com­pared to the importance of these factors, support for cultural ingroup/out­group biases as predic­ted by the parochialism thesis is weaker and less consistent. Translated to interethnic relations in the con­text of immigration, the findings support the idea that cultural diversity may undermine com­mu­nities' capacity for collec­tive action and raise the potential for intergroup con­flict. How­ever, the fact that effects of shared fate (i.e. membership of the same payoff group) are much stronger than those of shared cultural group membership suggests that the extent to which such negative outcomes will occur depends importantly on how ethnicity interacts with socio-economic status and material interests."

The project’s scope is to advance the state-of-the-art research in the area of ageing migrants, local welfare regimes and care provisions. The project focuses on three dimensions: 1) local welfare policies with a focus on care for ageing migrants; 2) the role of the family as an informal care provider and 3) the care by ageing migrants. The results would serve to expand the knowledge base of local welfare policies capable to contribute to the well being of ageing migrants. Lately there has been increasing awareness that some migrants are reaching the retirement age at the destination and some people choose to migrate after retirement. Like in many other European countries, in Switzerland, occurs a rapid ageing of the migrant population. From the heterogeneous group of ageing migrants, two sub-groups will be chosen – labour migrants from after WWII and the refugees – which exist in many European countries. Particular attention will be given categories at risk: separated women and the ‘older old’. To address these interdisciplinary issues, the project will employ mixed-methods, combining qualitative and quantitative methods. There will be done a quantitative analysis of the ageing migrants population in Switzerland, there will be conducted interviews with ageing migrants and with local stakeholders in the welfare provisions in three selected regions, and there will be done a policy and institutional analysis of local policies with respect to care. The project conducts several comparisons – between ageing migrant groups and between regions – in order to underline differences and similarities, and explore the causalities leading to these outcomes. The expected results would be to 1) develop conceptual framework for analysing the evolving notion of welfare by focusing on the dynamics between public, private and third sector; 2) underline the contribution of ageing migrants in society and 3) explore the limitations of the family in welfare provisions.

Georgian legislation in the field of migration is generally very liberal. This kind of approach finds its expression in the provisions on return from Georgia too. Though the legislation imposes an obligation on foreign citizens to leave the territory of Georgia before the expiry of the term of legal stay in Georgia, they get an additional 10 days within which they may leave Georgia without any legal consequences. Even after the 10 days term foreigners are allowed to leave Georgia voluntarily with the payment of a fine. Legislation establishes only two levels of fine: overstay for the period of 10 days up to 3 months and overstaying for over 3 months. The fact there is this option and the low fine in place (180 GEL/360 GEL is equal to 82 Eur/164 Eur) undermines the deterrent effect of these provisions. Besides, as to the consequences there are no difference between expulsion and forced expulsion. In both cases, a foreign citizen who has been expelled from Georgia will be denied a visa and a residence permit and refused entry to Georgia for one year. This provision does not facilitate voluntary departure within the term set by the Ministry of Justice.

Het doel van dit onderzoek was om inzicht te verkrijgen in de factoren die een rol spelen in de vestigingskeuze van kennismigranten, zoekjaarders, zelfstandigen en start-ups en hoe verschillende factoren, inclusief het Nederlandse beleid, worden gewogen in deze keuze. De resultaten bieden handvatten om Nederland aantrekkelijker te maken als vestigingsland.

Η παρούσα έκθεση εξετάζει διεξοδικά την ένταξη μεταναστών και προσφύγων στην Ελλάδα κατά την τελευταία δεκαπενταετία, εστιάζοντας στις επιπτώσεις που είχε η οικονομική και προσφυγική κρίση. Η ανάλυση καλύπτει τέσσερις κρίσιμους τομείς: την αγορά εργασίας, την απόδοση ιθαγένειας, την εκπαίδευση και τη συμμετοχή στα κοινά. Στο πλαίσιο της παρούσας μελέτης διαπιστώνεται ότι η οικονομική κρίση έπληξε ιδιαίτερα τον μεταναστευτικό πληθυσμό, οδηγώντας σε σημαντική μείωση της απασχόλησης και αύξηση της ανεργίας. Παράλληλα, καταγράφεται μείωση του αριθμού των αδειών διαμονής, υποδηλώνοντας την αποχώρηση μεταναστών ή την απώλεια του νόμιμου καθεστώτος τους. Όσον αφορά στον τομέα της ιθαγένειας, οι πρόσφατες νομοθετικές αλλαγές και η αυστηροποίηση των κριτηρίων έχουν δυσχεράνει την απόκτησή αυτής, ιδιαίτερα για τη δεύτερη γενιά μεταναστών. Στην εκπαίδευση, τα στοιχεία από το πρόγραμμα PISA καταδεικνύουν σημαντικές διαφορές στις επιδόσεις μεταξύ γηγενών και μαθητών μεταναστευτικής καταγωγής, με τη διαφορά να διευρύνεται για τη δεύτερη γενιά μεταναστών. Αναφορικά με τη συμμετοχή στα κοινά, τονίζεται η περιορισμένη λειτουργία των Συμβουλίων Ένταξης Μεταναστών και Προσφύγων (ΣΕΜΠ) και οι προκλήσεις που αντιμετωπίζουν τα Κέντρα Ένταξης Μεταναστών (ΚΕΜ). Συμπέρασμα της παρούσας έκθεσης είναι ότι η ένταξη δεν έχει αποτελέσει προτεραιότητα της ελληνικής μεταναστευτικής πολιτικής, με τις προσπάθειες να επικεντρώνονται κυρίως στη διαχείριση των συνόρων και του προσφυγικού ζητήματος, και με την έμφαση να δίνεται στην ένταξη των προσφύγων, παραβλέποντας τις ανάγκες του μεταναστευτικού πληθυσμού. Στο πλαίσιο αυτό προτείνονται συγκεκριμένες πολιτικές παρεμβάσεις για κάθε έναν από τους τέσσερις κρίσιμους τομείς. Στην αγορά εργασίας, προτείνεται η επανένταξη μεταναστών που έχασαν το νόμιμο καθεστώς τους κατά τη διάρκεια της οικονομικής κρίσης και η καταπολέμηση της παράτυπης εργασίας. Όσον αφορά την απόδοση ιθαγένειας, συστήνεται η επανεξέταση των οικονομικών κριτηρίων και ο επανασχεδιασμός του τεστ πολιτογράφησης. Στον τομέα της εκπαίδευσης, προτείνεται η ενίσχυση της σχολικής φοίτησης για παιδιά προσφύγων και η βελτίωση των τάξεων υποδοχής, ενώ αναφορικά με τη συμμετοχή στα κοινά, συστήνεται η ενδυνάμωση των ΣΕΜΠ και των ΚΕΜ. Επιπλέον, προτείνεται η αναβάθμιση της σημασίας της ένταξης στο χαρτοφυλάκιο της μεταναστευτικής πολιτικής, η συμπερίληψη του μεταναστευτικού πληθυσμού στην Εθνική Στρατηγική για την Ένταξη, και η βελτίωση της λειτουργίας του προγράμματος HELIOS. Επιπλέον, τονίζεται η ανάγκη για μια ολοκληρωμένη προσέγγιση που θα αντιμετωπίζει τις προκλήσεις ένταξης τόσο των προσφύγων όσο και των μεταναστών, λαμβάνοντας υπόψη τις μακροπρόθεσμες επιπτώσεις στην κοινωνική συνοχή και την οικονομική ανάπτυξη της χώρας.

De eerste representatieve cijfers over Oekraïense vluchtelingen in Nederland laten het beeld zien van een groep mensen die proberen hun draai te vinden in een nieuw land. Zij voelen zich over het algemeen thuis in Nederland en de meerderheid is van plan te blijven, in ieder geval op de korte termijn. Een belangrijk probleem dat volledige deelname aan de Nederlandse maatschappij in de weg staat, is het gebrek aan beheersing van de Nederlandse taal onder deze groep.

Naar verwachting neemt het aantal mensen dat naar Nederland migreert de komende jaren toe. Overheden zullen zich daarom steeds beter moeten voorbereiden op de komst van migranten, bijvoorbeeld door opvang te regelen. Toegenomen migratie houdt ook in dat de zogenoemde irreguliere migratie toeneemt, dat wil zeggen: het oversteken van een landgrens zonder de daarvoor benodigde toestemming of het verblijven in een land zonder de benodigde documenten. Deze vorm van migratie gaat gepaard met relatief grote risico’s zoals smokkel en uitbuiting. Tegelijkertijd is er slechts beperkt zicht op zowel de aantallen als de reisroutes van irreguliere migranten. Dit leidt tot verhoogde risico’s op smokkel en uitbuiting en tot beperkte beheersbaarheid van migratie vanuit overheden. Verschillende ketenpartners in de Nederlandse migratieketen hebben te maken met verschillende aspecten van irreguliere migratie. Ze beschikken daardoor (slechts) over data met betrekking tot de eigen specifieke domeinen. Dit kan bijvoorbeeld informatie zijn over reisroutes van irreguliere migranten die over land Nederland binnenkomen, of juist via luchthavens. Ook de dataverzameling bij deze ketenpartners kan specifiek afgestemd zijn op de aspecten waarmee zij te maken hebben.

This report serves to inform the humanitarian and development actors in the refugee response about the barriers and enablers of behavior change among the refugee and host community with regards to their energy consumption in the context of environmental degradation and climate change adaptation.

Het huidige onderzoek heeft het doel meer inzicht te bieden in welke aan huisvesting en de woonomgeving gerelateerde zaken voor mensen afkomstig uit Syrië en Eritrea belangrijk zijn geweest voor het opbouwen van hun leven in Nederland, nadat zij een woning in een gemeente toegewezen hebben gekregen. Daarnaast wordt beoogd meer kennis te verkrijgen over ervaringen met het huisvestingsproces en opvattingen over het huisvestingsbeleid. Daartoe zijn de volgende onderzoeksvragen opgesteld: Welke factoren gerelateerd aan huisvesting en de woonomgeving zijn volgens mensen gevlucht uit Syrië en Eritrea zelf van belang voor het opbouwen van hun leven in Nederland? a Verandert het belang van deze factoren over de tijd? Hoe hebben mensen gevlucht uit Syrië en Eritrea het huisvestingsproces ervaren? Hoe kijken mensen gevlucht uit Syrië en Eritrea aan tegen het huidige huisvestingsbeleid (in algemene zin)?

This report documents the experiences of Sudanese refugees in Egypt who—in the face of sudden war in Sudan—abruptly departed their homes, leaving behind all their earthly possessions and the very fabric of their lives. We recount the trials they faced upon leaving home, and the new set of challenges they are forced to navigate in pursuit of a new life in Egypt—from housing and employment to overcoming perceptions in a host community already reeling from economic instability. Beyond narrating individual stories, the report spotlights the magnitude of the Sudanese crisis, urging the international community to pay close attention to the unfolding tragedy and galvanize an urgent call to action.

This EMN study documents the labour market access of applicants for international protection between 2017 to 2022, complementing an earlier (2019) EMN study on labour market integration of third-country nationals excluding asylum seekers.1 This involves an up-to-date and in-depth analysis of legislation, policies and practices in EMN Member Countries on integration of applicants for international protection into the labour market, and the key actors involved in that implementa- tion. It also provides examples of challenges and good practices. This study understands the minimum required ‘access to the labour market’ as regulated under the recast Recep- tion Conditions Directive (2013/33/EU), which ensures that “applicants have access to the labour market no later than nine months from the date when the application for international protection was lodged, if a first instance decision by the competent authority has not been taken and the delay cannot be attributed to the applicant