On 15 December, EMN Belgium and the EMN Return Expert Group will host a half-day webinar on Alternatives to Detention. The online event focuses on the current legal framework on alternatives to detention, the implementation of these alternatives in practice and the identification of emerging good practices and pilot projects.

On October 21, the joint EMN-OECD inform on "Maintaining labour migration in essential sectors in times of pandemic" will be launched with a webinar.

This year's Austrian National EMN Conference will focus on migration forecasts, scenarios and early warning systems, in order to predict migration developments.

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and the substantial measures taken by EU and OECD countries to prevent the spread of the virus are having direct and indirect impacts on international students coming to those countries. While the long-term consequences are difficult to predict, the immediate impacts are already visible, for example, the processing of new applications or renewing of residence permits has in many cases been hindered or suspended, with consequences for international students already present in the host country. In addition, the abrupt downturn in economic activity has had a significant impact across many sectors, with international students facing the loss of their part time jobs or reduced or lost incomes, which could have an impact on their ability to continue their studies or find a job or start a business following their graduation.

Each year, the Odysseus Network organizes a Summer School in EU immigration and asylum law and policy. The courses tackle the most recent legislative, jurisprudential and political developments in the field at EU level.

In its Review 2019, Fedasil presents the most important events and figures on reception, voluntary return and resettlement of the past year. The overview shows an increase in the number of people entitled to reception and for whom more than 5000 temporary places were opened in 2019.

On 25 June 2020, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) will launch the 2020 edition of its annual flagship EASO Asylum Report. Due to the COVID-19 situation, this year EASO will be holding an online event to present and discuss the findings of the report, as well as developing asylum trends in the EU. 

The event will serve to launch the 2019 edition of the EMN Annual Report on Migration and Asylum. It also seeks to provide the latest information on Member States responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Academy of European Law organises its Annual Conference on European Immigration Law.The aim of the conference is to provide legal practitioners with an update on recent developments in the EU legal migration system and the mechanisms put in place to tackle labour and skills shortages and to reinforce the attractiveness of the EU for key workers.

The International Forum on Migration Statistics (IFMS) is a global platform devoted to improving data on migration in all its dimensions. Organised by IOM, OECD and UN DESA, the IFMS offers space for dialogue for a broad range of actors, from national and regional authorities, NGOs, international agencies and the private sector. 

On 10 December 2019, EMN Belgium organises its annual asylum and migration policy event in which recent national and EU developments in the field of international protection, legal migration and integration and irregular migration and return will be discussed.

The Annual National Conference of the EMN Luxembourg on “Attracting start-up founders and innovative entrepreneurs from third countries” will be held on the 1st October in Esch-sur-Alzette.

Each year, the Odysseus Network organizes a Summer School in EU immigration and asylum law and policy. The courses tackle the most recent legislative, jurisprudential and political developments in the field at EU level.

On May 27, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, European Commission and European Migration Network organise the International Conference “A New European Agenda on Migration?”. During this event, experts will share their views on the achievements, challenges and perspectives of integration and migration policies in Europe.

On 18 January a conference will take place in Brussels organised by the federal Migration Centre Myria, the Académie Royale des Sciences et des Beaux-Arts de Belgique, the Koninklijke Vlaamse Academie van België voor Wetenschappen en Kunsten and newspaper Le Soir. The focus will be on international protection and economic migration.