On 12 November 2025, the members of the European Migration Network (EMN) Steering Board voted on a list of topics that will give rise to EMN publications in 2026. These topics were considered particularly relevant to meet the information needs of Community institutions and of Member States’ authorities and institutions on migration and asylum. Following the vote, here are the publications that the EMN will undertake next year:

1. Enhancing identity management and fraud prevention in migration processes. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Belgium, aims to explore and strengthen identity management systems in migration processes by addressing key operational and strategic questions. It seeks to safeguard the entire identity chain by defining actionable strategies that enhance security and reliability in identity management.

2. Return and reintegration assistance programmes as part of return policy: aims, policy rationale and monitoring. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Netherlands, focuses on voluntary return assistance for individuals no longer entitled to reside in an EU Member State. Building on previous research showing that existing support only marginally influences the decision to return, it aims to compare the rationale and success of similar programmes across the EU, with particular attention to reintegration measures.

3. Unaccompanied minor migrants in the EU: legal, social and institutional challenges. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Poland, seeks to examine the guarantees provided by EMN Member and Observer Countries regarding the place of stay for unaccompanied minors during asylum and return procedures. It will look at whether dedicated facilities exist, how these support communication, help overcome cultural barriers, ensure minors’ safety, and what lessons can be learned from different systems.

4. Staying or moving on? Drivers and policies to retain global talent.  
This topic, proposed by EMN Austria, aims to identify the factors that facilitate or hinder global talent retention and the challenges faced by EMN Member and Observer Countries, particularly in high-demand sectors. It also seeks to collect good practices, policies, initiatives, and governance approaches that have proven successful in retaining global talent.

5. From policy to practice: implementing a whole-of-government approach in migration management. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Austria, aims to assess national approaches, governance structures, and experiences in implementing the Whole-of-Government (WoG) approach in migration management, identifying good practices, challenges, and innovative coordination models. It will contribute to peer learning and mutual support among EMN Member and Observer Countries seeking to strengthen their migration management structures in terms of institutional and procedural dimensions.

6. Local infrastructures of integration: assessing the state of play of local governance’s migrant integration policies, measures, and strategies. 
This topic, proposed by EMN France, Germany and Ireland, aims to provide an overview of the local infrastructure for migrant integration in EMN Member and Observer Countries, including the division of responsibilities and funding between national and local levels. It also seeks to map how national-level integration policies connect with local governance mechanisms, identify challenges faced by local structures, and highlight good practices developed to facilitate migrant integration.

7. The use of automated border control tools for third-country nationals in the EU. 
This topic, proposed by EMN France, aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the national regulatory frameworks, technical developments, and practices of EMN Member States regarding the use of e-gates. It seeks to identify best practices and improve understanding of how each country uses e-gates, in order to standardise their use across the EU and Schengen area.

8. Migration and demographic sustainability in peripheral regions of EU Member States. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Lithuania, seeks to analyse the role of migration in supporting demographic sustainability in peripheral, rural, and declining regions of EU Member States. It will map national policies and incentives, evaluate their effectiveness in sustaining economic activity, public services, and community life, and identify best practices and lessons learned from relevant case studies.

9. Voluntary return support programs for displaced persons from Ukraine. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Netherlands, focuses on the voluntary return of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine and the support EMN Member and Observer Countries provide to those wishing to return. It aims to map current practices, challenges, and good practices, providing lessons to improve national and EU-wide voluntary return programmes after the transition from temporary protection.

10. Reception Unlocked: An Overview of the (Re)Organisation of Reception Systems. 
This topic, proposed by EMN Lithuania, aims to map and analyse the categories of applicants entitled to reception facilities in EMN Member and Observer Countries, including access conditions, allocation criteria, and types of facilities. It also examines governance and coordination mechanisms, and identifies good practices in managing reception systems to respond to evolving migration and policy challenges.

If you are interested in any of these topics and have expertise and information on these subjects, please contact EMN Belgium at emn@ibz.be.