The Council of Ministers approves the public procurement for new closed centers in Jabbeke and Jumet
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On 26 April 2024, the Council of Ministers approved, upon proposal by the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor and the Secretary of State in charge of the Buildings Administration Mathieu Michel, the public procurement for new closed centers in Jabbeke and Jumet.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: closed centre, forced return, State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration
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On the proposal of Minister of Foreign Affairs Hadja Lahbib and Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor, the Council of Ministers approved a draft royal decree establishing the list of safe countries of origin, now including Moldova.
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Main theme: International Protection
Keywords: list of safe countries of origin, moldova
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In the context of growing diversity and societal polarisation within European municipalities and cities, the Government of Flanders is inviting mayors and local government officials to gather for sharing insights, mutual learning, and cooperative exploration on advancing diversity policies and enhancing social cohesion collectively.
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Main theme: Integration
Keywords: diversity, Social cohesion
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A large delegation from the federal government, accompanied by senior police officers and senior administration officials, is leading a mission to Morocco. The fight against illegal immigration and the return policy are among the priority issues discussed with the Moroccan authorities.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: irregularly staying third-country national, Morocco, prison, identification
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The Flemish Red Cross confirmed that the emergency village built in Mechelen in May 2022 for Ukrainians will close its doors in a few months. The rental contracts expire at the end of June 2024 and the Flemish Red Cross wants to help the 319 people still staying there find sustainable housing by then.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Keywords: temporary protection, Ukraine, emergency village
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On a proposal from Interior Minister Annelies Verlinden, the Council of Ministers approved a preliminary draft law defining the powers that members of the European Border and Coast Guard would have on national territory during official missions.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: European Border and Coast Guard, Frontex, border control, forced return, escort
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The House of Representatives approved a draft law creating a prevention mechanism to safeguard the rights of people detained in prisons, closed centres and police stations. The mechanism will be overseen by the Federal Institute for Human Rights, in conjunction with the Central Prison Monitoring Council, the Federal Migration Centre Myria, and 'Committee P'.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: prison, closed centre, monitoring, torture
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On 28 March 2024, the House of Representatives, during the plenary session, approved by a majority the ETIAS law which establishes the Belgian ETIAS National Unit and defines its organisation and functioning. It will enforce the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) regulation adopted by the European Union in 2018.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: ETIAS, European Travel Information and Authorisation System
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According to the provisional monthly results of the statistics on changes of nationality, 3.885 persons obtained the Belgian nationality in December 2023. This raises the total figure for 2023 to 54.813 persons who obtained the Belgian nationality.
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Main theme: Citizenship & Nationality
Keywords: acquisition of citizenship, Belgian nationality
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A large-scale operation involving law enforcement and judicial authorities from Belgium, France and Germany, coordinated by Europol and Eurojust, led to the dismantling of one of the most active networks involved in the smuggling of migrants across the English Channel in small boats.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: migrant smuggling, English channel, Europol, Eurojust, joint action day
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Of the 14.779 Ukrainian refugees registered with the VDAB, 45 percent (6.599) have already worked and 27 percent (4.045) are still working. Some argue that more should be done to guide them into work, inter alia encouraging language learning in the workplace.
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Main theme: Integration, Temporary protection
Keywords: Ukraine, employment rate, labour market access, language barrier
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Given the strong pressure on the Belgian reception system, Fedasil created more than 3.000 places in 2023. Despite these efforts, Fedasil ran out of places to accommodate all applicants for international protection last year.
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Main theme: Reception
Keywords: reception centre, reception crisis, reception capacity
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The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration announced today that a new software was in the process of being developed with the digital product studio "In the pocket" to better manage information relating to the stay of third-country nationals in closed centres.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: closed centre, digitalisation
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According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 4.489 persons obtained Belgian nationality in November 2023. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in November are Morocco, Syria, Romania, Afghanistan and Turkey.
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Main theme: Citizenship & Nationality
Keywords: access to nationality, Belgian nationality
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On the proposal of the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, the Council of Ministers agreed today to the conclusion of a rental contract for land in Lodelinsart (Charleroi). Fedasil will make the site available to the Belgian Red Cross to place containers in order to increase the reception capacity for applicants for international protection.
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Main theme: Reception
Keywords: reception capacity, reception centre, container
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The Department of Work and Social Economy is organizing an information session to explain the changes in regulations regarding the employment of foreign workers in Flanders. Such changes will enter into force on 1 March 2024.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Keywords: foreign workers, employment
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The Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) announced today that it would resume the processing of Sudanese cases from Darfur, Kordofan, Blue Nile and Khartoum as of 26 February 2024.
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Main theme: International Protection
Keywords: Sudan, application for international protection, individual need for protection
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In 2023, 287 refugees were resettled in Belgium, including 154 Congolese from Rwanda, 81 Syrians from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, and 26 Sudanese, 18 Ethiopians and 8 Eritreans from Egypt.
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Main theme: International Protection
Keywords: resettled refugee, resettlement, community sponsorship
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The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration announced today that applications from nationalities that have very little chance of obtaining international protection, in particular Congolese, Moldovans and Georgians, will be processed in a fast-track procedure from 1 February.
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Main theme: International Protection
Keywords: accelerated procedure, fast-track procedure, application for international protection
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Today, the Parliament of the Brussels Capital Region adopted in plenary session an ordinance relating to economic migration. The objective is to modernize, make coherent and simplify the current texts, to better respond to labour shortages identified in the job market.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Keywords: labour market shortage, shortage occupation, Brussels, foreign workers
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A new reception centre that can accommodate a maximum of 135 applicants for international protection has opened in Ghent. This is the second reception centre managed by Fedasil in the city. Since 2020, the Agency has been organizing the reception of 250 people on a pontoon in the port of Ghent.
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Main theme: Reception
Keywords: reception centre, Ghent
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EU Home Affairs Ministers met today in Brussels during an informal meeting. Emphasis was placed on the need to finalize the legal texts of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and to start the implementation process. Ministers also discussed the future of Ukrainian beneficiaries of temporary protection in Europe.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Keywords: Belgian Presidency, Council of the European Union, Ukraine, temporary protection, New Pact on Migration and Asylum
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During a visit to the prison in Beveren, the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration said that more illegally staying detainees are being sent back directly from prisons, through the work of the return counsellors in the detention facilities.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: return counselling, prison, detention, illegally staying person
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According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 4.927 persons obtained Belgian nationality in October 2023. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in October are Morocco, Syria, Romania, Afghanistan and Poland.
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Main theme: Citizenship & Nationality
Keywords: access to nationality, Belgian nationality
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In 2023, the Immigration Office registered a total of 35.507 applications for international protection. This is slightly less than in 2022 when a total of 36.871 applications for international protection had been registered in Belgium.