On 15 December, EMN Belgium and the EMN Return Expert Group hosted a webinar on Alternatives to Detention. The online event focused 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.

The new State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, Sammy Mahdi (CD&V) presented his General Policy Paper on Asylum and Migration in Parliament on 18 November 2020.

On 16 September 2020, the Interior Committee of the Belgian House of Representatives held a parliamentary hearing on a legislative proposal concerning the prohibition of detention of minors. EMN Belgium contributed to the hearing by presenting the laws, policies and practices in other EU Member States.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, personal interviews of applicants for international protection at the CGRS were stopped in March. They were started again in June. To improve the safety of staff and applicants, a video with practical instructions was created.

The EMN has recently conducted a study on "Comparative overview of national protection statuses”. A short video was created to highlight some of the key findings of this study.

Today EMN Belgium has launched a Twitter account to better disseminate EMN outputs. 

Border closures and quarantine rules to prevent the spreading of Covid-19 risk having a negative impact on seasonal work. To address labour shortages in the agricultural and horticultural sectors, the federal and regional governments decided to adopt a series of measures in the spring of 2020.

In 2020 EMN Belgium will continue to contribute to multiple EMN outputs on migration and asylum policy in the EU Member States. This way EMN Belgium contributes to an evidence-based migration and asylum policy in the EU and Belgium.

The Commission is today proposing to improve the Schengen Information System (SIS) to close information gaps and to contribute to a stronger control of external borders and sustainable EU Security Union.

On this International Migrants Day, Myria examines differences in gender related issues in migration, and provides key statistics in this matter.

The work programme of the European Migration Network for 2017-2018 has been adopted by the European Commission.

The Commission recommends today that transfers to Greece should be resumed gradually, only for asylum seekers for whom Greece is responsible from 15 March 2017, and subject to individual assurances from the Greek authorities.

Authorized officials of the Belgian Immigration Office have been granted direct access to certain parts of the central database of the Belgian police. 

In october 2016, Fedasil has opened a new return desk in Charleroi, where migrants can receive information and assistance on voluntary return.

At 3pm today, the EMN presents the recently published study on resettlement and humanitarian admission programmes at the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs.

The Belgian Contact Point of the EMN organised a conference on labour market participation of beneficiaries of international protection. The event took place on the 8th of November in Brussels (Résidence Palace).

Today, the new agency aimed at strengthening Europe's external borders is legally operational.

Due to the decreasing inflow of asylum seekers in Belgium, the reception network will be gradually decreased and the implementation of the new reception model will be resumed.

Today, the European Commission is reporting on the progress made on the relocation and resettlement schemes and the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement.

Today, 19 September 2016, the UN General Assembly will host a high-level summit to address large movements of refugees and migrants, with the aim of bringing countries together behind a more humane and coordinated approach.

Today the new Regulation on the European Border and Coast Guard was published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The European Commission announced up to €108 million in emergency funding to Bulgaria.

A decree of the government of the French-speaking Community – which entered into force today – introduces changes regarding the procedure of recognition of the equivalence of higher education diplomas and certificates obtained abroad.

On the occasion of President Juncker's 2016 State of the Union address, the European Commission today set out their view on how the European Union can enhance security in Europe by improving the exchange of information in the fight against terrorism and strengthening external borders.