EMN News provides news from the EU and news from EMN Member and Observer Countries, including general developments, legal migration, international protection including asylum, unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable groups, integration and inclusion, border management and irregular migration, trafficking in human beings, return and readmission, migration and development, and EU legislation transposition.

In this edition of EMNews, the following news are inter alia highlighted:

• General developments: In Finland, an action plan was adopted to support Ukrainians’ participation in Finnish society and enter the labour market.
   
• Legal migration: In Greece, an online platform for employers to facilitate hiring Egyptian workers is now operational, as part of the Greece-Egypt agreement for agricultural seasonal workers.
   
• International protection including asylum: The Dutch government announced plans to create 5.000 reception places by May 2024 and further expand capacity until July 2025, including emergency reception by municipalities and use of state-owned land for temporary facilities.
   
• Unaccompanied minors and other vulnerable groups: In Latvia, regulations were enforced to provide additional support to children in out-of-family care, including orphans and those without parental care, even after they reach the age of majority.
   
• Integration and inclusion: In the Czech Republic, AMIF-funded projects were launched to foster self-reliance in housing for beneficiaries of temporary protection (BoTP).
   
• Citizenship and statelessness: The Swedish Parliament has decided to tighten the rules in the Citizenship Act. Stricter requirements will apply for young people applying for citizenship.
   
• Border management and irregular migration: As of 1 September, Finland will introduce a new border procedure that allows asylum applications to be processed near the border if preconditions are met.
   
• Trafficking in human beings: A large-scale joint operation against human trafficking ’Global Chain’ was led by Austria and coordinated by Romania, Europol, Frontex and Interpol in June.
   
• Return and readmission: A proactive return policy law was adopted in Belgium, introducing  inter alia an obligation to cooperate in the return process.
   
• Migration and development: Sweden launched a three-year strategy for the Syria crisis, aiming to support Syrians and vulnerable groups, reduce irregular migration to the EU, and facilitate Syrian refugees’ voluntary return. 

For detailed news, please read the EMNews attached above.