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In 2023, Belgium registered 8,8% fewer first-time asylum applicants than in 2022, that is to say, 29.260 in 2023 compared to 32.100 in 2022. On the contrary, the number of first-time asylum applicants registered in the whole EU in 2023 reached 1.048.880, which represents an increase of 20.1 % compared to 2022.
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Main theme: Data & Statistics
Keywords: first-time asylum applicant, Eurostat
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During the European Council on 21-22 March 2024, EU leaders reviewed the state of play on migration following the Communication from the Commission and reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to continue pursuing a comprehensive approach to migration as agreed in its conclusions of December 2023.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: New Pact on Migration and Asylum, Council of the European Union
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This meeting will bring together the Ombudspersons for children as well as children welfare and guardianship authorities of EU Member States and other countries to have an open discussion on the specific aspects of the rights of third-country national unaccompanied minors.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Keywords: migration of children, unaccompanied minors, guardianship
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As labour and skills shortages have been increasing and are expected to continue rising over the coming decades in all EU Member States, the European Commission published an action plan setting out key measures that the EU, Member States and social partners should take in the short to medium term to address this challenge.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Keywords: labour shortage, skills shortage, social partner, labour market integration, skills development, intra EU mobility, talent partnership
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The Expert Conference on Return and Reintegration, jointly organised by Belgium’s Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil), the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), and the Migration Policy institute Europe (MPI-E) marked a significant moment during the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: Belgian Presidency, sustainable return, reintegration
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On 18 March 2024, the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGVS) and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) co-organized a conference during which participants reiterated the need for greater convergence between Member States to achieve a fair and efficient asylum system.
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Main theme: International Protection
Keywords: convergence, asylum practices, Common European Asylum System, New Pact on Migration and Asylum
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The CNCD-11.11.11 and 11.11.11 are organising a two-day European Citizens' Summit, bringing together Belgian and European civil society, and fostering collaborations on cross-cutting issues. A workshop will specifically focus on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and the way forward towards migration justice.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: civil society, solidarity, 11.11.11, New Pact on Migration and Asylum
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This conference organised by EMN Netherlands, in cooperation with EMN Belgium, will focus on family reunification of beneficiaries of international protection in EMN Member and Observer Countries. The influence of European case law in this field will also be examined in more detail.
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Main theme: Family reunification
Keywords: family reunification right, beneficiary of international protection
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At a meeting of the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), Member States agreed their position on a draft regulation which updates a mechanism that allows the EU to suspend visa-free travel for third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa obligation when travelling to the Schengen area.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: visa-free travel, suspension mechanism
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As the demand for migrant workers increases amid persistent labour shortages and geopolitical shifts in Central and Eastern Europe, this conference will delve into the ways countries attempt to attract migrants, ensure ethical recruitment, and implement labour market integration policies.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Keywords: labour migration, labour shortage, Eastern Europe
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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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This conference of the European Migration Network (REM), organized within the framework of the Belgian Presidency of the Council of the European Union, will bring together high-level representatives and a wider audience of experts to discuss the operationalization and the implementation of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: New Pact on Migration and Asylum, operationalisation
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Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson together with the Mauritanian Minister of Interior and Decentralisation, Mohamed Ahmed Ould Mohamed Lemine, have signed a Joint Declaration launching an EU-Mauritania migration partnership. Both parties will hold a dialogue on a regular basis to implement this Joint Declaration.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: migration dialogue, Migration Partnership
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Today, the Belgian Presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators have provisionally agreed on two regulations that govern the collection and use of air passenger data for border management and law enforcement.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: advanced passenger information, border management
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On the occasion of the second anniversary of the activation of the TPD, this Migration Policy Institute Europe webinar will discuss what will happen when the TPD expires in a year’s time. The findings from comparative research in Latin America, Turkey, and Europe on approaches to temporary status and the arc of public support for displaced persons will also be presented.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Keywords: Temporary Protection Directive, Ukraine
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A strategic analysis by the European Agency for Asylum (EUAA), reveals that in 2023, 1.14 million applications for international protection were lodged in the EU+ countries (i.e. the 27 European Union Member States, plus Norway and Switzerland), marking the highest level in seven years. The analysis sheds light on the trends that were observed in 2023.
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Main theme: Asylum
Keywords: EUAA, application for international protection, temporary protection
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On 28 February 2024 the European Ombudsman published a press release regarding the completion of its inquiry about the Adriana shipwreck in June 2023, which also included recommendations regarding broader systemic issues. The Ombudsman called on EU legislators to address fundamental rights gaps and to establish an independent commission of inquiry to assess the reasons for the large numbers of deaths in the Mediterranean.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Mediterranean, shipwreck, fundamental rights, search and rescue
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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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EMN Georgia and EMN Cyprus organise a joint conference on information campaigns which constitute a central element of current migration strategies, both at the national and European levels.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: information campaign, migration management
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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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Today, the European Parliament’s Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice, and Home Affairs (LIBE) approved the inter-institutional agreement achieved in December with the Council on the Migration and Asylum Pact.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: New Pact on Migration and Asylum
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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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In its pushback report 2023 published today, the human rights organisation 11.11.11. says there were 346.004 illegal pushbacks of people migrating to Europe in 2023 - that is 947 every day. The organisation used information provided by NGOs, human rights bodies and UN agencies to report this figure.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: external border, pushback, human rights
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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.