The annual report contains a complete overview of the asylum figures of 2020. It also focuses on the impact of COVID-19, on the functioning of the CGRS and on the international asylum context.

The annual report is available in Dutch and French in an online version and in PDF format.

The European Migration Network invites you to participate in a survey on one of its key products: the EMN Asylum and Migration Glossary.

In the second half of 2021 EMN Belgium will continue to provide input for multiple EMN outputs. This way EMN Belgium tries to contribute to an evidence-based migration and asylum policy in Belgium and the EU and Norway.

On 10 June 2021, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) published its fundamental rights report that takes stock of the developments regarding fundamental rights in the EU in 2020. Additionally, FRA also published its opinions on these developments and added a synopsis of the evidence supporting these opinions.

Since the first publication of the European Migration Network (EMN) Asylum and Migration Glossary in 2010, it has been a valuable resource for practitioners, policy-makers and researchers in the field of migration and asylum. By harmonising EU asylum and migration terms, the EMN Glossary offers an EU-wide multidisciplinary vocabulary of terms and concepts, translated into over 20 languages. The latest version of July 2020 contains approximately 500 terms.

The year 2020 brought about unforeseen developments in the areas of migration and asylum. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the number of migrants, asylum applicants and returns, and also acted as a catalyst for development of new digital solutions in asylum and migration management. These new challenges came in addition to persisting ones such as the need to continuously improve migration management systems and ensure the protection of refugees. The Annual Report on Migration and Asylum, published by the European Migration Network (EMN), provides an overview of the key developments in the EU Member States and Norway in 2020.

We are celebrating EMN Day! On 11 June we will launch the Annual Report on Migration & Asylum 2020, discussing ways to make migration management systems more effective and efficient. ? 11:00-13:00 CEST

On 2 June 2021, the European Commission presented its new Schengen Strategy, which was accompanied by a proposal to revise the Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism.

On 5 May 2021, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe adopted the Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025) to increase cooperation among member states to protect the most vulnerable persons.

The Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) launched asyluminbelgium.be. This new website provides information in nine languages about the asylum procedure in Belgium, tailored to the needs of asylum seekers. 

Georgia and Moldova have joined the EMN in March 2021 as observers. This will enhance mutual collaboration and understanding on asylum and migration.

At the occasion of this Itinera event, various experts, including Dirk Jacobs (ULB) and Jasper Dag Tjaden (Migration Policy Group), gave their vision from both a Belgian and European perspective on "Education & Integration".

At the occasion of the IE EMN NCP conference in Dublin, a wide audience, including national policy makers and experts as well as representatives from the Commission and other NCPs, discussed protection challenges.

Today, the law from 4 December 2012 modifying the Belgian Nationality Code with a view to making the aquisition of nationality neutral from an immigration point of view, was published.

This Eurostat news release shows that workers remittances amounted to 39.1 billion euro in 2011, up by 2% compared with 2010.

A press release of the national bank of Belgium indicates that the employment rate of persons born in a non-EU country is the lowest of all Member States, namely 45.8 % in 2011.

This recently published information sheet "EU Blue card: Highly qualified workers" provides information on beneficiaries, procedures, statuses, legal basis and appeals in this matter.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council, including the Belgian Ministers Joëlle Milquet and Annemie Turtelboom, and State Secretary Maggie De Block, met on 6 and 7 December 2012. The ministers also discussed issues concerning Immigration and Asylum.

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.

A "White Marriages" cell has been created in the Special Laws Division of the Brussels South police area. It has started its activities on 3 december 2012.

On 29th November in Paris, the French NCP organised a conference on the CEAS. The next day there was a EMN-Cluster Meeting on reception conditions for asylum seekers in the EU: "existing mechanisms and good practices”

The article, reveals that family-related migration is the main driver for Belgium’s recent transition to a country of permanent settlement, with significant numbers of foreign-born students, workers, and refugees.

In its letter to partners, CBAR BCHV wants to be informed of decisions and judgements refusing the examination of applications from applicants originating from "safe countries of origin".

In a strategic Communication adopted today, the Commission examines how the implementation and development of the common visa policy could help growth in the EU by facilitating travel opportunities for third country nationals willing to visit the EU.

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.