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On 4 September, the non-profit organisation Mentor Jeunes held an online information session for families willing to foster unaccompanied foreign minors. The initiative highlighted foster care as an alternative to collective centres, offering children a safe and structured home environment. It also explained the individualised support available to both families and young people, aiming to encourage more households to consider joining the programme.
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Hoofdthema: Vulnerable groups
Trefwoorden: unaccompanied foreign minor, foster family
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This conference aims to facilitate discussion among authorities and experts on labour migration and the response to labour market needs through sustainable and effective migration policies on a national and EU level. Selected institutions and experts will address the labour market trends and workforce needs in Cyprus and the EU, the challenges and opportunities of legal migration pathways for Cyprus, and EU best practices.
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Hoofdthema: Economic migration
Trefwoorden: labour migration, labour market need, workforce, legal migration pathway
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From 1 September 2025, the filing fee for appeals before Belgium’s Council for Alien Law Litigation will increase from €186 to €251, marking a rise of approximately 35%. The fee for parties wishing to intervene in ongoing cases will also increase, from €133 to €180. Legal practitioners are advised to inform clients of the new rates. Questions remain over the impact of these increases on access to justice for vulnerable individuals.
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Hoofdthema: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Trefwoorden: Council for Alien Law Litigation, appeal procedure, fee
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In August 2025, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) introduced a Self-Assessment Tool to help national authorities evaluate the quality of their asylum procedures. Based on EUAA operational standards and indicators, the tool provides a structured method for self-assessment. It aims to help administrations identify areas for improvement and ensure compliance with EU standards. A descriptive version of the tool is currently available to guide implementation.
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Hoofdthema: International Protection
Trefwoorden: asylum procedure, international protection procedure, quality, self-assessment
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Did you know that the UNHCR Operational Data Portal provides detailed, up-to-date information on sea arrivals in Europe? As of 24 August 2025, a total of 89.189 people have reached European shores by sea. The majority of these arrivals have been recorded in Italy and Greece, while Spain also received significant numbers. In 2024, a total of 187.337 sea arrivals were reported, illustrating the continued importance of Mediterranean and North-West African routes.
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Hoofdthema: Irregular Migration
Trefwoorden: UNHCR, operational data portal, sea arrival, land arrival
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In the first half of 2025, West Flanders saw 72 transit migrants intercepted, a significant decrease compared with previous years. Most were from Ethiopia, while earlier periods involved people from Sudan, Iraq and Vietnam. Authorities cite preventive policing and cross-border controls as key factors.
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Hoofdthema: Irregular Migration, Smuggling & Trafficking
Trefwoorden: transit migrant, transmigrant, interception, border control
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Fedasil is organising an exhibition on voluntary return and reintegration at the Wintercircus. The Ghent-based Magnum photographer Carl De Keyzer portrays the stories of, among others, Rosa from El Salvador and Igis from Albania. This exhibition is organised in collaboration with Caritas International and the International Organization for Migration, with the support of AMIF.
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Hoofdthema: Return & Readmission
Trefwoorden: voluntary return, reintegration, photo, exhibition
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From 18 August 2025, new rules for family reunification enter into force in Belgium. They do not apply to all applicants. Some cases continue under the old rules, others transition to the new rules in 2027, while certain applications are immediately subject to the new framework. This article explains who is affected and how the rules will change.
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Hoofdthema: Family reunification
Trefwoorden: application for family reunification, family tie, income requirement, minimum age, housing
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The term “instrumentalisation of migrants” describes a strategy where countries outside the EU use the movement of people to put political pressure on the Union or one of its Member States. This has happened at several borders in recent years and has had real human consequences. A new paper from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) explains what the phenomenon is, the dilemmas it creates, and why responses must strike a careful balance.
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Hoofdthema: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Trefwoorden: instrumentalisation, migrant, refugee, fundamental right
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According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 4.923 persons obtained Belgian nationality in May 2025. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in May are Morocco, Romania, Syria, Turkey and Italy.
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Hoofdthema: Data & Statistics, Citizenship & Nationality
Trefwoorden: access to nationality, Belgian nationality
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A European pilot project is underway to improve access to sustainable housing for beneficiaries of international protection and beneficiaries of temporary protection. Running from November 2024 to October 2027, PATHS brings together IOM, Orbit and Fedasil in Belgium, with partners in France and Greece. The initiative focuses on preventing homelessness through housing platforms, stronger intermediary organisations and greater engagement with property owners.
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Hoofdthema: Reception
Trefwoorden: housing shortage, suitable housing, beneficiary of international protection, beneficiary of temporary protection
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The European Commission has formally established the Network for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse. This expert group will bring together policymakers, practitioners and researchers to tackle abuse both online and offline. Prevention efforts aim to protect children and address potential offending behaviour. The initiative forms part of the EU Strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse.
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From 4 August 2025, Belgium implements two changes affecting international protection procedures. The period to justify absence from personal interviews is reduced from 15 to 8 days. In addition, new applications submitted after a decision on a previous request in another EU Member State are now registered as subsequent applications.
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The Court of Justice rules that designating a country as ‘safe’ must allow effective judicial review
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The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that a Member State may designate a third country as a ‘safe country of origin’ by legislative act, provided that the designation can be subject to effective judicial review. The judgment clarifies that the sources used for such a designation must be accessible to both applicants and courts. The Court also stated that a country cannot be listed as ‘safe’ if it does not offer adequate protection to all its population.
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Hoofdthema: International Protection
Trefwoorden: safe country of origin, right to an effective remedy
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De Europese Commissie heeft aangekondigd dat het Entry/Exit System (EES), een geavanceerd IT-systeem dat de in- en uitreizen van onderdanen van derde landen die voor een kort verblijf naar 29 Europese landen reizen digitaal registreert, op 12 oktober 2025 in gebruik zal worden genomen.
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Hoofdthema: Grenscontrole & Visa
Trefwoorden: grensbewaking, entry exit system
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Het Commissariaat-Generaal voor de Vluchtelingen en Staatlozen (CGVS) heeft aangekondigd dat de opschorting van de verwerking van aanvragen om internationale bescherming van Syriërs, een maatregel die sinds december 2024 van kracht is, wordt verlengd tot eind oktober 2025.
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Hoofdthema: Internationale bescherming
Trefwoorden: Syria, CGRS, asielaanvragen, asielbeslissingen
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De Belgische Kamer van Volksvertegenwoordigers heeft een wet aangenomen die de kosten voor het registreren van het verkrijgen van de Belgische nationaliteit verhoogt van € 150 naar € 1.000. Deze wijziging, opgenomen in de op 18 juli 2025 aangenomen programmawet, maakt deel uit van een breder pakket begrotingsmaatregelen. Het nieuwe bedrag geldt voor aanvragen die worden ingediend nadat de wet van kracht is geworden en worden jaarlijks geïndexeerd.
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Hoofdthema: Burgerschap & Nationaliteit
Trefwoorden: Belgische nationaliteit, toegang tot de nationaliteit, administratiekosten
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The Dutch Council of State has ruled that single male asylum seekers may no longer be transferred to Belgium under the Dublin Regulation. The judgment cites systemic failures in Belgium’s reception and legal protection for this group, exposing them to a real risk of inhuman treatment. These individuals must now remain in the Netherlands while their asylum claims are processed.
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Hoofdthema: Reception, International Protection
Trefwoorden: Dublin Regulation, Dublin transfer, shortage, reception place, inhuman treatment
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On 23 July, Belgium officially published two new laws aimed at reducing the burden on international protection procedures and limiting access to reception for certain applicants. In particular, these laws redefine which applications are considered subsequent by including those who have already received protection or a final decision in another EU country, and they limit access to reception facilities and material assistance for this group. The laws reflect the government’s intention to streamline asylum processing and manage reception capacity effectively.
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Hoofdthema: Reception, International Protection
Trefwoorden: Aliens Act, subsequent application, Reception Act, material assistance, material reception condition
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The Belgian Council of Ministers has approved a draft law enabling home searches, with judicial authorisation, in cases involving non-cooperative foreign nationals facing return and posing a threat to public order or national security. The measure is similar to one previously discussed in 2018 and will now be submitted to the Council of State for its opinion. Several civil society organisations have expressed concerns about its implications.
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Hoofdthema: Return & Readmission
Trefwoorden: home search, forced return, public order, national security, immigration enforcement
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The Belgian Chamber of Representatives has adopted new legislation modifying the conditions for family reunification under the law of 15 December 1980. The changes introduce stricter income requirements and modify waiting periods for certain categories of foreign nationals, particularly those benefiting from international or subsidiary protection. The legislation was approved with a majority vote during a plenary session and aims to regulate access to family reunification, a principal legal pathway for foreign nationals to join family members in Belgium.
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Hoofdthema: Family reunification
Trefwoorden: application for family reunification, income requirement, waiting period, age limit
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Op 3 december 2025 zal de conferentie van EMN Sweden plaatsvinden te Stockholm. De conferentie zal gaan over het tekort aan arbeidskrachten en het aantrekken van internationaal talent. Tijdens het evenement wordt gekeken naar EU- en nationale strategieën om deze uitdagingen aan te pakken en het concurrentievermogen van Europa te versterken. Beleidsmakers, experten en mensen die in het werkveld staan, zullen inzichten, goede praktijken en nieuwe onderzoeksresultaten uitwisselen.
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Hoofdthema: Economische migratie
Trefwoorden: talent aantrekken, arbeidsmigratie, arbeidstekort
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Op 27 oktober 2025 komen belanghebbenden in Luxemburg bijeen om te bespreken hoe het EU-pact inzake migratie en asiel staatloosheid als kwetsbaarheid aanpakt. De bijeenkomst zal zich richten op de eerste ervaringen met de uitvoering van de nieuwe verplichtingen uit hoofde van de verordeningen inzake screening en asielprocedures. De bijeenkomst wordt georganiseerd in het kader van het EMN-platform inzake staatloosheid en biedt ruimte voor uitwisseling tussen nationale deskundigen, EU-agentschappen en internationale organisaties.
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Hoofdthema: Staatloosheid
Trefwoorden: staatlozen, migratie- en asielpact, kwetsbaarheid
EU allocates €81 billion for migration, border management, and internal security in 2028–2034 budget
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On 16 July 2025, the European Commission unveiled its proposal for the 2028–2034 Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF), totalling nearly €2 trillion. A significant portion of this budget—approximately €81 billion—is earmarked for migration, border management, and internal security. Within this amount, €34 billion is specifically allocated to migration management, tripling the funding compared to the previous period.
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Hoofdthema: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Trefwoorden: multiannual financial framework, European Union, budget
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Het Europees Migratienetwerk (EMN) heeft zijn populaire glossarium toegankelijker dan ooit gemaakt. Het kan geraadpleegd worden via een vernieuwde website en mobiele app. Met meer dan 540 asiel- en migratietermen in 27 talen helpt het glossarium om complexe concepten te begrijpen. Of je nu een student, journalist, eerstelijnswerker of gewoon nieuwsgierig bent naar asiel en migratie in Europa, het EMN Glossarium biedt duidelijke definities, betrouwbare vertalingen en slimme zoekfuncties - gratis en toegankelijk voor iedereen.