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.

On 12 December 2018, the Belgian contact point of the EMN organized 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, human trafficking and return were discussed. 

On the 26th of October 2018 the general policy note on asylum and migration of the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration was published. The policy note provides an overview of the main achievements and priorities in the field of asylum and migration.

Europol launched a new report about child trafficking. It provides a comprehensive view on who the victims are and who the criminal networks are that trafficking the children in and into the EU. 

The Intergovernmental Conference to adopt the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration  takes place in Marrakech, Morocco on the 10th and 11th of December 2018

On 10 September, the Belgian Minister of Security and the Interior and the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration presented a 9-point action plan on the fight against irregular transit migration.

In his State of the Union, President Jean-Claude Juncker presented proposals to ensure full EU solidarity on migration and better protection of Europe's external borders. The Commission is proposing to reinforce the European Border and Coast Guard and the EU's Agency for Asylum and is proposing a targeted review of the Return Directive.

This report provides a broad overview of recent trends in international migration flows and migration policies in OECD countries and some non-OECD countries.

As of 11 August, irregularly staying families with minor children can be detained with a view to removal in family housing on the grounds of the closed detention centre 127bis.

Today, the Commission is expanding on the concept of controlled centres as well as short-term measures that could be taken to improve the processing of migrants being disembarked in the EU, and giving a first outline of the possible way forward for the establishment of regional disembarkation arrangements with third countries.

Today, the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration and his Tunisian counterpart signed an agreement which focuses on cooperation regarding migration and return.

The Belgian State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration carried out information missions in Albania and in Georgia, respectively in April and June 2018.

The EASO Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the European Union 2017 provides a comprehensive overview of developments at European level and at the level of national asylum systems. Based on a wide range of sources, the Report looks into main statistical trends and analyses changes in EU+ countries as regards their legislation, policies, practices, as well as national case law. 

Today, 10 families with a humanitarian visa arrived in Zaventem. They will apply for international protection once in Belgium. They will be hosted in Christian communities, in cooperation with Caritas, during the first year.