Publication date: 14 August 2025
This EMNews, the quarterly newsletter of the European Migration Network (EMN), offers an overview of EU and national developments in asylum and migration policy, as well as key statistics and related EMN publications for the period of April-June 2025.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: EMNews
Keywords: EMN, Newsletter, EMNews
Publication date: 07 August 2025
This ad hoc query compares the existence, type, and scope of bilateral or multilateral agreements on labour mobility between EMN Member and Observer Countries and non-EU/EEA countries, including whether they target general or sector-specific mobility, contain protection provisions, and provide monitoring or evaluation mechanisms.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: labour mobility, labour mobility agreement, labour mobility partnership, labour shortage
Publication date: 01 August 2025
The Belgian authorities launched this ad hoc query to understand how other Member States provide information to third-country nationals in the context of return, in order to fulfil their obligation under the Return Directive, and to assess whether making this information available via a website or IT application would be considered sufficient to meet these requirements.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: return counselling, information provision, digitalisation
Publication date: 23 July 2025
When countries outside the EU encourage or organise the movement of migrants to put pressure on the Union or its Member States, this is called the instrumentalisation of migration. This position paper from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) explains what this means, why it matters, and how the EU can respond. It highlights the need to balance measures against political manipulation with the obligation to respect people’s fundamental rights. The paper warns that some responses risk undermining the right to asylum and other protections at the EU’s external borders.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: instrumentalisation, migrant, refugee, fundamental right
Publication date: 20 July 2025
This ad hoc query examines how EMN Member Countries use new technologies to address language barriers during return procedures for third-country nationals. It investigates the deployment of tools such as translation software, handheld devices, mobile apps, and artificial intelligence throughout the return process. The query also reviews relevant legal and data protection frameworks and the application of these tools in key return-related activities like identification, communication of decisions, and detention procedures.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: language barrier, digital tool
Publication date: 16 July 2025
This EMN study examines how 25 countries address the international dimension of human trafficking, encompassing prevention, law enforcement, victim support, and international partnerships. It presents national approaches, good practices and persistent challenges, both within EMN countries and in cooperation with third countries. Readers will find examples of institutional cooperation, capacity-building efforts, and initiatives targeting specific regions or groups. The study also highlights how recent EU policy developments are shaping national anti-trafficking strategies.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: trafficking victim, non-EU national, anti-trafficking strategy, international dimension
Publication date: 09 July 2025
The European Migration Network's Asylum and Migration Overview (AMO) 2024 provides an overview of legal and policy developments at both EU and national levels, covering various migration and asylum topics, complemented by Eurostat statistics and national data, for the period January to December 2024.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Annual Policy Reports
Keywords: annual report
Publication date: 10 June 2025
The Fundamental Rights Report 2025 provides an overview of the state of fundamental rights in the EU, highlighting key developments and trends observed in 2024. The report includes a dedicated section on ‘Migration and asylum at the EU’s external borders’, which addresses, among other issues, challenges related to search and rescue operations, incidents of ill-treatment and rights violations at borders, concerns about border procedures under the New Pact, and fundamental rights risks associated with proposed return policies.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: fundamental rights, external border, rights violations, ill-treatment, New Pact on Migration and Asylum, border procedure, monitoring mechanism, return hub
Publication date: 01 June 2025
This research paper introduces the "IRMIGRIGHT", the first bespoke database of social and labour rights of irregularly staying migrants in twenty-eight European countries. A number of findings emerge from the data analysis, including the fact that, on average, irregularly staying migrants have significantly weaker social rights than labour rights.
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Main theme: Irregular Migration
Publication Type: Study
Keywords: irregularly staying third-country national, social right, labour right
Publication date: 12 May 2025
This JRC Science for Policy report provides a comprehensive understanding of migration narratives and their impact on public perception and policy. It seeks to equip policymakers and communication professionals with the insights and tools needed to navigate the complex landscape of migration narratives and promote a more nuanced and evidence-based understanding of migration in a political context often tainted by misinformation and divisive rhetoric.
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Main theme: Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: migration narrative, public perception, disinformation, evidence-based communication, polarisation
Publication date: 12 May 2025
This EMNews, the quarterly newsletter of the European Migration Network (EMN), offers an overview of EU and national developments in asylum and migration policy, as well as key statistics and related EMN publications for the period of January-March 2025.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: EMNews
Keywords: EMN, Newsletter, EMNews
Publication date: 01 May 2025
The 2025 SIRIUS Migrant Education Policy Index introduces a novel framework for evaluating inclusive education policies across 15 EU Member States. Structured around seven key dimensions, the Index highlights existing disparities and effective practices in supporting migrant learners. It underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure equitable and high-quality education for all students, regardless of migration background. The report advocates for a learner-centred approach prioritising structural flexibility, cultural and linguistic inclusion, and coordinated policy interventions.
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Main theme: Integration, Study § Training
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: education policy, Migrant education, migrant student, undocumented student
Publication date: 28 April 2025
This ad hoc query compares the existing legislation in EMN Member and Observer Countries regarding the granting of protection statuses to family members of beneficiaries of international protection, as well as recent changes in practices in light of the regime change in Syria.
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Main theme: International Protection, Family reunification
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: application for family reunification, Syria, protection status, suspension, decision-making
Publication date: 03 April 2025
This ad hoc query, launched by EMN Belgium, explores whether authorities in EMN Member Countries are permitted to search the electronic devices of irregularly staying third-country nationals in the context of return. It examines the legal conditions under which such searches may take place, the categories of individuals concerned, the availability of related statistics, and the perceived impact on identification processes. The query also invites information on challenges encountered and any planned legislative developments in this area.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: irregularly staying third-country national, identification, search, electronic device
Publication date: 11 March 2025
This joint EMN-OECD Inform presents an overview of the different approaches to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and subsequent adaptation of migration strategies in EMN Member and Observer Countries and non-EU OECD Countries. The Inform also provides some examples of common challenges and good practices in developing and implementing migration strategies.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: migration strategy, design, duration, implementation, dissemination, monitoring, evaluation
Publication date: 07 March 2025
This ad hoc query examines the voluntary return procedures for Ukrainian nationals granted temporary protection in EU Member States, focusing on the support provided for their return and reintegration. The aim is to understand the various national approaches to facilitating voluntary returns, including whether reintegration assistance is offered and how these programmes are funded.
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Main theme: Temporary protection, Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: beneficiary of temporary protection, voluntary return, reintegration, Ukraine
Improving the Economic Migration Framework to Attract and Retain Qualified Talent in Flanders (OECD)
Publication date: 01 March 2025
This report provides a diagnosis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Flemish framework for management of economic migration and recommendations for possible areas of reform. The report also presents some of the first empirical analyses of retention and outcomes of economic migrants in Flanders.
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Main theme: Integration, Economic migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: talent attraction, talent retention, skilled workers, activation policy, single permit, posted worker, shortage occupation
Publication date: 27 February 2025
This joint European Migration Network (EMN) – OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Inform provides an overview of innovative initiatives to attract foreign talent between January 2021 and March 2024 by EMN Member Countries and selected non-EU OECD member countries. It also analyses whether and how EMN Member Countries monitor the effectiveness of these initiatives and identify related challenges and good practices.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: talent mobility, foreign workers, skill development, talent partnership, talent attraction
Publication date: 19 February 2025
This European Migration Network (EMN) study documents the illegal employment of third-country nationals in EMN Member Countries between 2017-2022. It includes an up-to-date analysis of key legislative and policy frameworks and practices to prevent, identify and tackle the illegal employment of third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of temporary protection. It also provides examples of challenges and good practices.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: illegal employment, third country national, migrant worker, sanction, labour inspection
Publication date: 11 February 2025
This EMNews (used to be named Quarterly or Bulletin) of the European Migration Network (EMN) offers an overview of EU and national developments in asylum and migration policy as well as an overview of key statistics, plus related EMN publications for the period October-December 2024.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: EMNews
Publication date: 16 January 2025
In this annual forecast, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) outlines the 10 migration issues that can shape international migration in 2025. The search for "innovative solutions" to irregular migration and a European Union focusing on return are among the points of attention.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: migration outlook, annual forecast, ICMPD
Publication date: 05 January 2025
This ad hoc query examines how EMN Member and Observer Countries use service providers for return and reintegration services. It covers whether countries manage operations directly or rely on service providers, details on contracts and procurement methods used, and how they assess European Procurement Regulations when choosing procurement approaches, including any exceptions justifying direct contracts.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: return, reintegration, outsourcing, procurement
Publication date: 05 January 2025
This ad hoc query maps the existence of language requirements prior to entry for family members of beneficiaries of international protection. Responding countries also report on experiences with pre-entry language requirements for other categories of residence permits, when applicable.
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Main theme: Family reunification
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: application for family reunification, beneficiary of international protection, language requirement, language learning
Publication date: 03 January 2025
This ad hoc query looks into the time limit within which an administrative authority may detain, without judicial review, an applicant for international protection or an irregularly staying third-country national who is subject to return.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Ad Hoc Queries
Keywords: detention, judicial review, applicant for international protection, irregularly staying third-country national
Publication date: 20 December 2024
This Inform provides information on current national legislation and practices for the collection and processing of biometric data of third-country nationals in 24 EMN Member Countries and three EMN Observer Countries (Norway, Serbia and Ukraine) in accordance with national and European law requirements.