Are the Member States providing any support measures to Ukrainian citizens wishing to go back to Ukraine on a voluntary basis? This ad hoc query launched by Estonia examines the current measures as well as possible plans, including to develop long-term support measures/programs for Ukrainians who wish to voluntarily go back to Ukraine.

Unaccompanied minors who have little or no perspective of receiving a residence permit within EU Member States, may have co-existing problems such as mental health issues or substance addiction. This ad hoc query examines how EU Member States deal with this specific group and how they could improve the reception and supervision of these young persons.

How do other EU Member States, and Georgia, recognise diplomas obtained in third countries? This ad hoc query, that Belgium launched in July 2022, focused on the (i) institutional landscape for diploma recognition throughout Europe, (ii) the role of Public Employment Services in this recognition and (iii) best practices that the responding States wanted to share regarding their diploma recognition practices, specifically in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. 20 countries answered the query.

This ad hoc query mainly collects information on calculation methods used to determine the necessary reception capacity for applicants for international protection and on the flexibility measures developed in case of shortage or surplus. It also examines how EMN Member and Observer Countries organise the outflow of beneficiaries of international protection and rejected applicants for international protection to housing and other forms of accommodation.

Do Member States grant access to the labour market to family members of international students and, if so, to which family members and under which conditions? This ad hoc query launched by Belgium shows that policies and practices in this matter still vary among Member States.

Did Member States suspend decision-making on applications for international protection from Afghan nationals when the Taliban took over the control of Afghanistan in August 2021? This ad hoc query launched by Belgium examines the nature and consequences of such suspension in terms of hearings, protection statuses etc.

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. 

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.

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

21 Member States provided information on national laws and practices regarding the time limits for decisions on family reunification and the consequences of exceeding these limits.

25 (Member) States provided information on inter alia the existence of civic integration policies, whether or not participation in a civic integration programme is compulsory for recognised refugees, and possible sanctions for refusing to follow such a programme. 

22 (Member) States provided information regarding their definition of the concept of vulnerability and their practices regarding the identification and the care of vulnerable applicants for international protection with special reception needs.  

Forced returns of rejected asylum seekers to Afghanistan have been heavily debated in Sweden. In this context, the Swedish Contact Point of the EMN has gathered and analyzed the information provided by 17 Member States, including Belgium, on this topic.

24 (Member) States provided information on the volume of returned unaccompanied minors and on family tracing. This ad hoc query was launched by the Finnish Contact Point to the EMN.

23 (Member) States provided information on how they are currently dealing with some aspects of Directive 2016/801, in particular types of financial resources used by international students, the use of frozen/blocked accounts by international students, and approved/recognised organisations mediating au pairs. This ad-hoc query was launched by the Belgian Contact Point to the EMN.

24 (Member) States provided information on their policies and practices regarding the application of the ‘safe countries of origin’ concept in their procedures for international protection. This ad hoc query was launched by the Dutch and the Estonian Contact Points of the EMN.

16 (Member) States provided information on their policies and practices regarding the implementation and execution of provisions of EU directives on public order and public security. This ad hoc query was launched by the Dutch Contact Point to the EMN.

18 (Member) States provided information on their policies and practices regarding the identification of possible jihadists in the asylum process and of recruitment activities in reception centers. This query was launched in June 2016 by the Dutch Contact Point to the EMN.

21 (Member) States provided information on their practices regarding the verification of identity and family relationships in case of family reunification with a beneficiary of international protection. This query was launched in June 2016 by the Dutch Contact Point to the EMN.

18 responses were given to this ad hoc query. The information collected helps to better understand how the funding for refugee resettlement is distributed across the different components of the programmes.

20 (Member) States provided information on their resettlement programmes. This request was launched by the British National Contact Point.

22 (Member) States provided information on their practices regarding illegally working migrants, more precisely on whether this is considered a criminal offence and what possible sanctions they face. This query was launched by the British National Contact Point.

21 (Member) States provided information on the status granted to beneficiaries of resettlement, as well as on the practical procedure to grant this status and on the integration measures available. This query was launched by the Slovenian National Contact Point.

18 (Member) States provided detailed national information and available statistical data on the detention and removal of unaccompanied and accompanied minors. This query was launched by the Belgian EMN national contact point.

16 Member States provided detailed information and statistical data on their requirements for marriage and suspected marriages of convenience. This query was launched by the UK EMN NCP.