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.

How do Member States and Norway ensure the care and protection of children who arrive in their countries, and what measures are in place in relation to guardianship, education, access to justice, and more? This new report from the European Migration Network (EMN) provides an overview of the progress made during 2020 in the implementation of the recommendations laid out in the 2017 Communication on the protection of children in migration and is the second edition of a series of reports developed by the EMN.

The management of data has become increasingly important over the past years, not in the least for the public institutions that are responsible for the applications for international protection. Today, the increased influx of applicants for international protection and the Covid-19 pandemic have increased the need for a more efficient system to collect, store, treat and share data. EMN analysed the state of play and the future developments in the field of data management in the asylum procedure between 2014 and 2020, thereby also taking into account the legal framework that surrounds the field of data management. Additionally, EMN Belgium published a standalone study that highlights the management of data in the Belgian asylum procedure.

What kind of data is collected by EU Member States and Norway and how is the data managed in the different phases of the asylum procedure? This new EMN Study provides comparable information and examples from 25 countries on different aspects of data management, including data cross-checking against national and international databases, data quality accuracy, and data protection issues. It also maps challenges encountered, and actions taken to respond to them. The study contributes to capacity-building of experts working in the field of asylum and generates a better understanding of the policies and process in place across Europe.  

The Belgian standalone study will be published in the week of 28 June 2021.

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.
 

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.