The principle of due process requires that reasons be given for rejecting a non-national's request for asylum. One measure to achieve a faster, more efficient, and at the same time more uniform output of asylum decisions in Switzerland has been the introduction of so-called Textbausteine, standardized and computer-stored paragraphs, or textual elements, which can be combined with phrases and paragraphs drafted with specific reference to the individual case in negative decisions. Many such standardized paragraphs simply quote legal provisions, or contain introductory or closing phrases and sections common to many decisions. This article looks at those textual elements that do pose serious problem, in particular where they construe legal terms and provisions, and/or apply them to common factual situations. It is suggested that they are not just a helpful device to facilitate the drafting of negative decisions; any collection of standardized textual elements has to be well-balanced and complete, in order to be acceptable. This means that examples of positive criteria, sufficient for the grant of asylum, must be included, as well as negative examples
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