The current Belgian government, in office since October 2020, announced that it would replace the Immigration Act by a new Migration Code. In this context, EMN Belgium sought information about the structure of national migration laws of other Member States and the terminology used for migration policies, subjects and institutions, the result of which was compiled and summarized. 

The EMN annual report on asylum and migration provides an overview of the major developments in the field of migration and asylum in Belgium and in the EU in 2020.

The 34th edition of the EMN Bulletin covers the period January to March 2021 and provides an overview of the latest developments in the areas of international protection and migration in the EU and its Member States. In March 2021, Moldova and Georgia joined EMN as observers.

EMN and OECD have published the new Umbrella Inform, which completes the joint EMN and OECD Inform series on the impact of COVID-19 on migration and asylum in the EU Member States and non-EU OECD countries. The series includes 5 Informs and covers a wide range of topics. 

The handbook on migration reporting was produced to help journalists create impartial, fact-based reporting in an engaging way. The handbook was developed in recognition of the role which media plays in shaping public opinion as well as informing the public on various policies on migration.

How do Member States ensure the protection of children in migration procedures, and what measures are in place in relation to guardianship, accommodation, transition into adulthood, and many more? This report from the European Migration Network (EMN), published on 10 March 2021, maps the state of implementation in 2019 of the recommendations laid down in the 2017 European Commission Communication on the protection of children in migration.
 

The 33rd edition of the EMN Bulletin provides up-to-date information on recent migration and international protection policy developments at EU and national level, including the latest relevant published statistics. 

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on return procedures had been significant across EU countries as well as OECD countries in and outside Europe since March 2020. This Inform looks into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on voluntary and forced return procedures and on policy responses. 

For many EU countries, seasonal workers from third countries are crucial to fill temporary, cyclical labour market needs. Since the adoption of the Seasonal Workers Directive in 2016, this specific category of workers can benefit from EU-harmonised admission policies and rights concerning their entry and stay. This study provides a comparative overview of recent trends in seasonal workers coming to the EU and Belgium, and the strategies and practices related to seasonal workers from third countries.

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.

The 32nd edition of the EMN Bulletin provides up-to-date information on recent migration and international protection policy developments at EU and national level, including the latest relevant published statistics. 

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the flow of migrants who planned to enter the EU and OECD countries as workers in essential sectors (e.g. health- and care- workers, hospital auxiliary staff, agricultural workers) as well as those who were residing on a temporary or renewable basis for the purpose of work in these sectors. How did EU & OECD countries respond to the need to prevent labour market shortages during the COVID-19 crisis? An answer to this and other questions can be found in the Inform.

24 Member States provided information on national laws and practices regarding the detention of families with children in migration procedures, the possibility to detain one of the parents and detention in the context of the age assessment process.

The COVID-19 crisis has impacted the ability of international students to enrol in a HEI abroad and to travel to that country to take up studies. How did EU & OECD countries respond? Did they adapt their admission processes? An answer to these and other questions can be found in the Inform.

The Country Factsheet provides a brief summary of the main developments in migration and international protection in Belgium in 2019, including the latest statistics.

The first EMN and OECD inform on the impact of COVID-19 in the migration area is out. The inform focuses on EU and OECD Member States responses to managing residence permits and migrant unemployment.

The 31st edition of the EMN Bulletin provides up-to-date information on recent migration and international protection policy developments at EU and national level. It has a special annex on COVID-19 measures.

Integration through acquisition of citizenship has become an important topic in many EU Member States in recent years, as the number of new migrants arriving in the EU has increased in recent years. The EMN study found that citizenship is seen by Member States as either the culmination of the integration process or as facilitating the integration process. However, in most Member States, third-country nationals are not actively encouraged to apply for citizenship. 

In 2003, the Council adopted the Long-Term Resident Directive 2003/109/EC in order to promote the integration of third-country nationals in legal stay in the EU. Fourteen years after its entry into force, EMN Luxembourg conducted a study on the implementation of the Directive in 23 EU Member States, including Belgium.

The EMN annual report on asylum and migration provides an overview of the major developments in the field of migration and asylum in Belgium and in the EU in 2019.

These studies explore the types of national protection statuses existing in Belgium and the EU, as well as their key characteristics in terms of procedures and rights.

This overview lists all the ad hoc queries that were launched in 2019.  

The 30th edition of the EMN Bulletin provides up-to-date information on recent migration and international protection policy developments at EU and national level. It has a special annex on COVID-19 measures.

The phenomenon of unaccompanied migrant children going missing has increasingly been in the focus of public attention in the EU. Several international organisations and European NGOs have raised concerns that the disappearance of unaccompanied minors is not always addressed in an effective manner. What policies and procedures are in place to register and follow up on cases of missing children, and how is data on missing children collected in EU Members States, Norway and the UK? The new Inform from the European Migration Network (EMN), in collaboration with international organisations, EU agencies and NGOs, offers a comprehensive picture of how the phenomenon is tackled currently in the EU.