On 28 November 2014, the new State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration, Theo Francken, delivered the general policy note defining the main orientations and actions in the field of asylum and migration.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration, Cross-sectional
Keywords: policy note, State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration
On 1 October 2014, the European Commission has released its 31st Annual Report on monitoring the application of EU law in Member States. As far as home affairs and migration issues are concerned, four infringement procedures are open against Belgium.
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Main Theme: Migration
Keywords: european law, infringement, monitoring
On the occasion of 25 November 2014 EP Plenary Debate on Migration, EU new Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, introduced the debate and presented the EU main orientations and policy fields for an integrated approach on migration and asylum
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Main Theme: External Dimension, Asylum, Migration
Keywords: Commissioner on Migration and Home Affairs, European Agenda
The proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Regulation (EU) No 604/2013, aims at clarifying Member States’ responsibilities for examining the application for international protection of unaccompanied minors
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Main Theme: International Protection, Vulnerable groups
Keywords: unaccompanied minors
Since 13 November 2014 and until May 2015, Belgium is chairing the Committee of Ministers, the political decision making organ of the Council of Europe. Under the Belgian Presidency, migration and asylum will be part of the issues tackled.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Integration, Vulnerable groups
Keywords: asylum and the European Convention on Human Rights, Belgian Presidency, Council of Europe
On 11 November 2014, the European Commission has released its 6th bi-annual report on the functioning of the Schengen area covering the period from 1 May to 31 October 2014.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa, Irregular Migration, Return & Readmission, Data & Statistics
Keywords: border management, irregular migration path, Schengen, visa policy
Eurostat published data on first residence permits issued to non-EU nationals. A residence permit represents an authorization issued by the competent authorities of a country allowing third-country national (non-EU citizens) to stay legally on its territory.
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Main Theme: Economic migration, Family reunification, Study § Training, Data & Statistics
Keywords: residence permit
On 20 October 2014, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has opened an investigation into how Frontex ensures the respect of fundamental rights of migrants who are subject to forced returns from the EU to their countries of origin.
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Main Theme: Return & Readmission, External Dimension
Keywords: European ombudsman, forced return, Frontex, fundamental rights
The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting gathering all EU 28 Justice and Home Affairs national ministers took place on 9 and 10 October 2014. A strategic approach and operational priorities have been defined to take action to better manage migratory flows.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: Council of the European Union, Home Affairs
The new government Michel published its coalition agreement on 9 October 2014. Theo Francken (N-VA) was appointed as the new State Secretary for Asylum and Migration.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: coalition agreement, State Secretary for Migration and Asylum Policy
This website aims to inform persons who wish to find a salaried job, follow a professional training, become self-employed or study in Belgium about the recognition of foreign diploma.
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Main Theme: Study § Training
Keywords: diploma, recognition
Dimitris Avramopoulos appeared at the European Parliament for a three-hour long interview. His competences and knowledge were tested today by the relevant parliamentary committee.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: Commissioner on Migration and Home Affairs
The European Commission published on 26 September 2014 a handbook to help EU Member States take action against marriages of convenience between EU citizens and non-EU nationals in the context of EU law on free movement. The Commission prepared the handbook in close cooperation with Member States.
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Main Theme: Family reunification, Irregular Migration
Keywords: free movement, handbook, marriages of convenience, misuse
William Lacy Swing, Director General IOM, stresses that already in 2014 over 2,200 migrants have died attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean Sea. That’s three times 2013’s total!
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Main Theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: criminal groups, Mediterranean, smuggled migrant
The joint European Commission-OECD report on Matching Economic Migration with Labour Market Needs shows that migration and mobility have a key role to play to address demographic decline and skills shortages in the EU.
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Main Theme: Data & Statistics, Study § Training, Economic migration
Keywords: migrants' skills, labour mobility, labour migration, employment, demography
This request for a preliminary ruling concerns the interpretation of Article 12 of Council Directive 2004/114/EC of 13 December 2004 on the conditions of admission of third-country nationals for the purposes of studies, pupil exchange, unremunerated training or voluntary service.
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Main Theme: Study § Training
Keywords: Court of Justice of the European Union, Directive 2004/114/EC, student mobility, student visa
Jean-Claude Juncker, the European Commission President-elect, has designed a new Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner: Dimitris Avramopoulos, Greece's current Minister of National Defence.
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Main Theme: Migration
Keywords: Commissioner on Migration and Home Affairs
In November 2014, Belgium will welcome 75 Syrian refugees who have fled violence and war in their country. The refugees concerned are particularly vulnerable, including families and minors.
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Main Theme: International Protection
Keywords: resettlement, Syrian refugees
Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.
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Main Theme: International Protection, Data & Statistics
Keywords: asylum applications, asylum decisions
On 4 September 2014, the Court of Justice of the European Union issued a case-law concerning the interpretation of the Regulations establishing the Schengen Borders Code (2006) and the Visa Code (2009)
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Court of Justice of the European Union, border check, entry condition, visa affixed to travel document
2013 statistics on enforcement of immigration legislation have been released by Eurostat in September 2014.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa, Irregular Migration, Data & Statistics
Keywords: entry refusal, external border, illegal stay, obligation to leave the territory
In the past few days more than 300 people died as a consequence of three different incidents with vessels that were trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe.
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Main Theme: External Dimension
Keywords: Libya, migratory pressure
Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.
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Main Theme: International Protection, Data & Statistics
Keywords: asylum applications, asylum decisions
The Royal decree of 15 May 2014 entered into force today, determining conditions of application for internal measures and sanctions to guarantee or restore the order, security and tranquility in reception centers.
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Main Theme: Reception
Keywords: internal rule, reception centre, sanction
This is the July-August edition of EASO’s Newsletter. The newsletter provides information on the most recent EASO publications and activities.