This Inform, updated on the basis of national contributions from 28 EMN Member and Observer Countries, provides an overview of recent developments and policy approaches in the field of statelessness, with a cut-off date of 31 October 2025. It forms part of the EMN Platform on Statelessness series, building on previous Informs published in 2016, 2020 and 2023.

The report provides an in‑depth overview of Belgium’s status for smuggling victims, highlighting its objectives, legal framework, and practical implementation. It examines how the status is applied, who benefits from it, and the operational challenges encountered. The publication also identifies gaps in data collection and coordination between agencies. Finally, it offers evidence‑based recommendations to strengthen victim protection and improve the overall effectiveness of the system.

The report compiles available figures for the period 2015–2024 and examines how data are recorded, shared and used. It provides a clearer statistical basis for understanding the situation of minors at risk of trafficking and aggravated forms of smuggling, while identifying structural gaps in current data systems.

This ad hoc query maps the status of recognition of Palestine as a sovereign State across EMN Member Countries and the resulting administrative practices regarding statelessness and citizenship for individuals originating from the Palestinian territories. 

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report “Victims: Seeing Them and Listening to Them” on 8 December 2025. The report draws attention to the psychological vulnerabilities of victims of human trafficking and calls, inter alia, for strengthened training and specialisation of professionals on the specific psychological vulnerabilities and needs of these victims.

This ad hoc query maps the issuance of travel documents for individuals recognised as stateless across EMN Member and Observer Countries. Information is provided on the type and validity of such documents, as well as on whether recognition as stateless automatically leads to the issuance of a residence permit.

The European Pact on Asylum and Migration, adopted in May 2024, introduces binding obligations for EU Member States, including Belgium, on the identification and protection of stateless persons. The Nansen report highlights the specific challenges faced by stateless persons in Belgium and offers key recommendations to ensure their effective access to international protection.

This EMN study examines how 25 countries address the international dimension of human trafficking, encompassing prevention, law enforcement, victim support, and international partnerships. It presents national approaches, good practices and persistent challenges, both within EMN countries and in cooperation with third countries. Readers will find examples of institutional cooperation, capacity-building efforts, and initiatives targeting specific regions or groups. The study also highlights how recent EU policy developments are shaping national anti-trafficking strategies.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Latin American Sex Work: A Risky Carousel" on 18 December 2024. Myria draws attention to the phenomenon of Latin American sex work and calls for adapting the fight against trafficking to the new realities linked to the digital world.

This manual, aimed at both workplace inspection staff and trainers, intends to empower them to enforce the protective standards in EU law that safeguard the rights of third-country workers, including seasonal workers, migrant workers with temporary permits and migrants in an irregular situation. 

This publication, entitled "Tackling threat, addressing challenges - Europol's response to migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings in 2023 and onwards", looks into the latest developments and main threats in migrant smuggling and trafficking in human beings (THB) based on the most recent operations supported by Europol. It highlights the main challenges presented by the current criminal landscape and aims to help law enforcement step up the fight against criminal networks.

Under Council Directive 2004/81/EC, EU Member States have the option to grant residence permits to third-country nationals who have been the subject of an action to facilitate illegal immigration, such as smuggling. This ad hoc query seeks to map which Member States have implemented this possibility, and to what extent this residence procedure is used in practice.

The general report 2023 of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) includes a stocktaking of the third evaluation round of the Convention, which focused on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. GRETA analyses trends emerging from its country reports, drawing attention to gaps in the implementation of the Convention, as well as promising practices.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "A chain of responsibilities" on 19 December 2023.

Under the endorsement of the EMN Platform on Statelessness, this ad hoc query explores the legal framework and practice of EMN Member Countries to prevent stateless persons from receiving social and healthcare benefits in multiple countries simultaneously.

This EMN Inform updates the 2020 Inform “Statelessness in the EU” and focuses on the implications of statelessness for affected individuals in the EU, Norway and Georgia.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Trapped by debt" on 7 December 2022.

In 2022, Belgium was subject to the third evaluation round of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. This report analyses in detail how the Belgian authorities ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims of trafficking in human beings.

Trafficking in human beings is a crime against the victim’s fundamental rights. It can take several forms, such as sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery and servitude-related practices, as well as the removal of organs. This practice is prohibited under numerous EU and international instruments. Yet, persistent demand for sexual services and for low-wage workers employed in manual jobs continues to provide opportunities for traffickers to exploit human beings.

Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Behind Closed Doors" on 15 December 2020.

In de Europese Unie zijn naar schatting 400.000 mensen erkend staatloos of hebben geen vastgestelde nationaliteit (UNHCR, 2018). In 2017 waren er niet minder dan 2.100 staatloze kinderen in Europa geregistreerd. Dit is een verviervoudiging t.o.v. 2010. Hoe stellen EU-lidstaten staatloosheid vast? Wat betekent deze erkenning in de praktijk voor staatloze migranten? Op deze en andere vragen over staatloosheid vindt u een antwoord in deze Inform.

As independent National Rapporteur on trafficking in human beings for Belgium, for over 20 years Myria has carried out a yearly independent policy evaluation. In its latest report on Human Trafficking and Smuggling Myria focuses on underage victims of trafficking and smuggling of human beings.

The GRETA report, covering the period from 1 January until 31 December 2018, stresses that labour exploitation is on the rise across Europe. Also in Belgium, labour exploitation appears as a predominant form of trafficking.

This EMN Policy Brief examines trends in applications for international protection and irregular movements of third-country national migrants across the EU and Norway. It focuses on the period 2012 - 2016 and – where data is available - up to August 2017. This is an update of the Policy Brief published in December 2015.

This progress report describes the activities undertaken and publications released by the EMN Platform on Statelessness, in cooperation with strategic partners, from May 2016 until November 2017.