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This report is part of the Commission's initiative to further reinforce the Schengen governance through a yearly reporting exercise presenting the state of Schengen, identifying challenges and best practices, as well as priority areas for action. The State of Schengen Report 2023 will serve as basis for political discussions and steer at the Council on 8 June 2023.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen
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British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen agreed to strengthen cooperation between the EU and UK on migration through developing a new working arrangement between UK agencies and Frontex, enabling them to "work together on critical operational and strategic challenges including the situation in the Channel".
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Main theme: Irregular Migration
Keywords: English channel, Frontex
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The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration Nicole de Moor signed today an agreement with the Senegalese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Annette Seck. Belgium and Senegal agreed to cooperate on the return of irregularly staying Senegalese nationals and on legal migration.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: voluntary return, legal migration, circular migration
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Today marks a decade and a half of the European Migration Network (EMN) providing objective and reliable migration and asylum information. Throughout the years, the EMN has been meeting the information needs of Community institutions and of Member States’ authorities and institutions on migration and asylum, and supporting policymaking in these areas.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
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On 11 and 12 May 2023, EMN Belgium participated in the Swedish Presidency Conference. Many actors were invited to contribute: professors, researchers, policy-makers, analysts, development actors, national government officials – both from EU countries and beyond – and EU officials, representatives of international organisations and NGOs.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: climate change, displacement
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This hybrid annual conference will debate the latest developments and challenges in the EU’s internal and external border management. It will analyse the latest proposals and reforms on the functioning and operation of EU border management systems, including Schengen, as well as Frontex’ role and responsibilities. A particular focus will be given to the ongoing situation at the EU’s eastern border.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: border management, EU border agency, Schengen, Frontex, migrant smuggling
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This conference will examine the issues at the core of the current debates about Schengen like the balance between solidarity & responsibility between States in liaison with secondary movements of asylum seekers, the persistence of controls at Schengen internal borders, the way to monitor human rights at the external borders, the increasing recourse to large-scale databases,...
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen, Schengen acquis
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The EMN Slovakia Educational Seminar on Migration is a learning platform about migration that fosters networking, experience sharing, and discussions among (inter)national experts and participants. The seminar has been organised by IOM as the coordinator of the EMN activities in Slovakia with funding from the European Union since 2012, each year on a specific migration-related topic.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
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Today, the Internal Market Committee and the Civil Liberties Committee adopted a draft negotiating mandate on the first-ever rules for Artificial Intelligence (AI). MEPs substantially amended the list to include bans on intrusive and discriminatory uses of AI systems. They also expanded the classification of high-risk areas.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: artificial intelligence
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Thanks to this collaboration, young people from all over the country will be able to volunteer in the reception centers and young asylum seekers will be able to get involved in society outside the center where they are staying.
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Main theme: Reception
Keywords: volunteer, reception centre
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The European Migration Network (EMN) Glossary is an essential resource, which offers an EU-wide multidisciplinary vocabulary of approximately 500 terms and concepts related to asylum and migration. Let's focus today on the term "environmentally displaced person" to make sure we have a common understanding and use of the term!
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Main theme: External Dimension
Keywords: environmentally displaced person, climate change, environmental migration
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In 2022, 141 060 non-EU citizens were refused entry into the EU territory while 1.08 million were found to be illegally present in one of the EU countries. The number of non-EU citizens issued with an order to leave an EU Member State was 422 400. Following an order to leave, 96 795 non-EU citizens were returned to another country (including other EU countries), and of this, 77 530 were returned outside the EU.
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Main theme: Data & Statistics
Keywords: immigration law, law enforcement
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The conference organised by the Italian National Contact Point of the European Migration Network (EMN) will focus on violence against foreign minors. It will explore solutions to prevent the phenomenon, to further develop staff training and efficiently take charge of the victims.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Keywords: minor, violence
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Today a social profit fair took place in Antwerp as part of the project “Every talent counts (in social profit)”. At these regional social profit fairs, persons with a migratory background are put into contact with diversity-oriented employers, training institutions, and supporting organizations such as VDAB and the Agency for Integration and Civic Integration.
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Main theme: Integration
Keywords: diversity, talent
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The International Knowledge Platform of the Dutch Central Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (COA) organises a two-day hybrid international event on sustainable asylum reception. Based on presentations, lectures, and inspiring examples, discussions will focus on the asylum reception centre of the future.
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Main theme: Reception
Keywords: reception centre, sustainable reception
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Given the ticking clock, the European Commission reviews the state of affairs regarding progress on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and ECRE shares concerns about the possible outcomes of the current negotiations.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: New Pact on Migration and Asylum
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Myria has published the first thematic section of its 2023 annual report. This section entitled "Access to the territory" presents the main key figures relating to short and long-stay visas as well as the different reasons and nationalities that stood out in 2022.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: access to the territory, short-stay visa, long-stay visa
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In the first three months of this year, 959 irregularly staying third-country nationals were subject to forced return from Belgium. That is twice as many as in the same period last year, when it concerned 502 persons.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: irregularly staying third-country national, forced return
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The European Migration Network (EMN) Glossary is an essential resource, which offers an EU-wide multidisciplinary vocabulary of approximately 500 terms and concepts related to asylum and migration. Let's focus today on the term "best interests of the child" to make sure we have a common understanding and use of the term!
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups
Keywords: best interests of the child
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Members in the European Parliament (MEPs) agreed to open talks with EU Member States on key migration and asylum policy files. Following the plenary’s green light, MEPs may open talks on the final form of these legislative texts with the Council on those files for which the Member States have already agreed on their own position, notably the screening procedures.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: European Parliament, New Pact on Migration and Asylum
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Ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Act vote in the European Parliament, a coalition of human rights organisations is calling on EU lawmakers to include provisions in the proposed EU AI Act to protect people from AI surveillance technologies used in migration.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: artificial intelligence, border security, fundamental rights
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Today EMN Belgium visited its Dutch counterpart in The Hague to exchange best practices and establish future collaboration. A great opportunity to meet in person and strengthen the European Migration Network!
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Main theme: Cross-sectional
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According to the Court of Justice of the EU, European Union law precludes national legislation which requires, without exception, that an application for family reunification be submitted in person at a competent diplomatic post.
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Main theme: Family reunification
Keywords: application for family reunification, Family Reunification Directive, refugee
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Today EMN Belgium visited Enabel partners to discuss themes and activities of common interest. Both the EMN Belgium team and the Enabel staff members in charge of human mobility and of strategic partnerships look forward to working together even more closely in the future.
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Main theme: External Dimension
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As more than a year has passed since activating the Temporary Protection Directive, the conference focuses on the experiences of the Member States and host societies regarding the TPD as well as on long-term scenarios and ways forward.