In a press release published today, Myria says it receives many reports from people linked in one way or another to Belgium, who are stuck in extremely threatening circumstances in Gaza.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: Gaza, Palestinian, visa application, international protection
Through its campaign “So what, we continue the exploitation?”, the CIRÉ underlines that undocumented workers who informally fill the labour needs, are at risk of being exploited. It pleads to give them access to legal work, particularly through the single permit procedure.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: undocumented migrants, undocumented worker, single permit, labour shortages, labour exploitation
The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration discussed today with mayors and aldermen of the five major cities of Antwerp, Brussels, Ghent, Charleroi and Liège to find ways to reduce the administrative burden in the field of asylum and migration, to guide illegally staying third-country nationals towards return and to implement social initiatives promoting, among others, the employment of applicants for international protection.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: cities, administrative burden, proactive return policy, labour market access
Home Affairs Ministers met at the JHA Council in Brussels on 19 October. They discussed progress on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and exchanged views on the EU’s approach to the external dimension of migration. They stressed that the EU should efficiently use all the tools at its disposal to develop a preventive model which would hinder irregular departures, as well as to foster the effectiveness of returns.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: Justice and Home Affairs Council, New Pact on Migration and Asylum, external dimension, return policy
The European Council invited the Commission to present an Action Plan on the Eastern Mediterranean route, as part of a broader approach to help alleviate the pressure on Member States faced with large numbers of irregular arrivals along the route. This Action Plan identifies operational measures that will contribute to addressing the ongoing challenges along this route.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: EU Action Plan for the Eastern Mediterranean route
The EMN Steering Board has voted on the topics which will be analysed in studies and informs in 2024. In line with the targets outlined in the 2023-2025 work programme of the EMN, 3 new studies and 10 new informs will be published next year.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
In a new state of play published today, the European Commission reviews the state of affairs regarding progress on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum. Key developments since the last state of play from April 2023 are highlighted.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: New Pact on Migration and Asylum
At a meeting of the Council’s permanent representatives committee (COREPER), Member States sealed their negotiating mandate on a regulation on crisis situations, including instrumentalisation of migration, and force majeure in the field of migration and asylum. This position will form the basis of negotiations between the Council presidency and the European Parliament.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: crisis regulation, migration instrumentalization, solidarity, relocation, New Pact on Migration and Asylum
During the Justice and Home Affairs Council today, Ministers inter alia supported the need to strengthen the external dimension of EU migration policy in order to face the migratory challenges the EU shares with other continents and countries.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: EU Migration Policy, New Pact on Migration and Asylum, crisis regulation, temporary protection
The Belgian Contact Point to the European Migration Network is looking for an intern to support the team in its mission, including in the framework of the 2024 Belgian Presidency of the Council of the EU. If you want to expand your knowledge on asylum and migration topics as well as your network in this field, this opportunity may be for you!
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: internship
In her 2023 State of the Union Address, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, focused inter alia on migration issues. She underlined that an agreement on the New Pact on Migration and Asylum has never been so close.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: New Pact on Migration and Asylum, human smuggling, human trafficking, temporary protection
The Federal Institute is tasked with regularly examining the situation of persons deprived of their liberty through preventive visits, making recommendations to the competent authorities and proposing legislation and verifying its compatibility with international standards.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: detention, human rights, closed centre
In a national study released in July 2023, EMN Belgium reviews the Belgian policy and practice regarding detention and alternatives to detention. The study clarifies which detention places and alternatives to detention exist in Belgium, how the decision-making process unfolds and how detention and its alternatives are actually implemented.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: detention, alternative to detention
In a new article published today, the Migration Policy Institute reviews definitions of climate migration and questions the value of such a definition. It explores the difficulties of distinguishing climate migrants from other kinds of economic or humanitarian migrants, particularly in low- and lower-middle-income countries, and it highlights that the populations most vulnerable to climate change are often those who cannot migrate.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: environmental migrants, climate refugee, climate migrant
The EU and Tunisia agree to implement a "comprehensive strategic partnership" including on migration
Today, Commissioner for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Olivér Várhelyi and Secretary of State of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Mounir Ben Rjiba, signed a memorandum of understanding covering macro-economic stability, trade and investment, green energy transition, people-to-people contacts, and migration.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: memorandum of understanding, partnership, Tunisia
As Spain takes over the presidency of the Council of the European Union from 1st July until 31 December 2023, the Spanish Presidency has established its priorities and main directions. The Spanish presidency inter alia faces the challenge of finalising the Migration and Asylum Pact.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: Spanish Presidency
The European Council took place on 29 and 30 June 2023. European Council President Charles Michel published a post-summit communique on the migration discussions, which referenced the complaints by Warsaw and Budapest.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: solidarity, relocation
The European Commission asked Member States to increase their budget contributions by about 15 billion EUR for migration management, including to implement proposals under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum. The new resources would support internal and external migration objectives and priorities.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: multiannual financial framework
Today, Ministers responsible for Home Affairs reached an agreement on the asylum and migration management regulation and the asylum procedure regulation. Both laws are cornerstones of a new European migration and asylum policy.
EMN Belgium participated in the joint conference organised by EMN Georgia and EMN Latvia, titled: “A Commonly Understood Language as a tool in Migration Management: the EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary”. The conference highlighted the importance of the glossary and allowed to share experiences and challenges that arise when defining, translating and using asylum and migration-related terms.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: glossary, common terminology
The Western Balkans are at the heart of the European continent, surrounded by EU Member States. The migration situation in the region remains complex and challenges the institutional capacities of the Western Balkans, particularly in relation to border management, migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: Action Plan for the Western Balkans
During two lunch & learn sessions this week, the team of EMN Belgium met around 70 practitioners of the Immigration Office to inform them about the European Migration Network, to invite them to actively participate in the national network, and to explore concrete cooperation opportunities.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
This morning, EMN Belgium participated in a roundtable, moderated by Special Envoy on Migration and Asylum Lieven De la Marche, with the contribution of representatives of the cabinet of the Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, the Belgian Development Agency (Enabel) and the coalition for international solidarity (11.11.11). Belgian actors could share their views on the report which was presented to them.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: migration management
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.
Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: voluntary return, legal migration, circular migration
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.