On 24 May 2024, the Council of the European Union, with Spain and Slovenia abstaining, finally adopted the reform of the Schengen Borders Code. The reform inter alia aims to make the Schengen area more resilient to present and future crises at its external borders. 

During a joint webinar, experts from the European Migration Network and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development highlighted the positive trends characterizing the labour market integration of Ukrainians, including employment rates and their progress, main sectors of employment, and most common policies and measures for facilitating labour market integration. They also identified the difficulties and remaining challenges in this domain.

This webinar will showcase key findings from the new joint EMN-OECD Inform on the "Labour market integration of beneficiaries of temporary protection from Ukraine". These findings will be contextualised by drawing insights from other international organisations and highlighting specific approaches and measures adopted by different host countries.

On 2 May 2024, the Chamber of Representatives adopted in plenary session the draft law relating to the competencies of the members of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency on the national territory. The law inter alia defines how Frontex members will support the Federal Police in the field of border controls and forced return of foreigners.  

On 16 April 2024, the Commission published its 2024 State of Schengen report. The report elaborates on major legislative and policy developments in the area of Schengen from the past year, including the Pact on Migration and Asylum. It also reflects on challenges and sheds light on future priorities for the EU in the field of Schengen.

The Flemish Red Cross confirmed that the emergency village built in Mechelen in May 2022 for Ukrainians will close its doors in a few months. The rental contracts expire at the end of June 2024 and the Flemish Red Cross wants to help the 319 people still staying there find sustainable housing by then.

On 31 March 2024, Bulgaria and Romania become Schengen members: the Schengen rules will apply in both Member States including on issuing Schengen visas and controls at the internal air and sea borders will be lifted. Discussions on a date for a possible lifting of the checks on persons at internal land borders will continue in 2024.

On 28 March 2024, the House of Representatives, during the plenary session, approved by a majority the ETIAS law which establishes the Belgian ETIAS National Unit and defines its organisation and functioning. It will enforce the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) regulation adopted by the European Union in 2018. 

At a meeting of the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), Member States agreed their position on a draft regulation which updates a mechanism that allows the EU to suspend visa-free travel for third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa obligation when travelling to the Schengen area.

On the occasion of the second anniversary of the activation of the TPD, this Migration Policy Institute Europe webinar will discuss what will happen when the TPD expires in a year’s time. The findings from comparative research in Latin America, Turkey, and Europe on approaches to temporary status and the arc of public support for displaced persons will also be presented.

Today, the Belgian Presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators have provisionally agreed on two regulations that govern the collection and use of air passenger data for border management and law enforcement.

On 28 February 2024 the European Ombudsman published a press release regarding the completion of its inquiry about the Adriana shipwreck in June 2023, which also included recommendations regarding broader systemic issues. The Ombudsman called on EU legislators to address fundamental rights gaps and to establish an independent commission of inquiry to assess the reasons for the large numbers of deaths in the Mediterranean.

Of the 14.779 Ukrainian refugees registered with the VDAB, 45 percent (6.599) have already worked and 27 percent (4.045) are still working. Some argue that more should be done to guide them into work, inter alia encouraging language learning in the workplace.

In its pushback report 2023 published today, the human rights organisation 11.11.11. says there were 346.004 illegal pushbacks of people migrating to Europe in 2023 - that is 947 every day. The organisation used information provided by NGOs, human rights bodies and UN agencies to report this figure.

The Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU and European Parliament negotiators today reached a provisional deal on amending the Schengen Borders Code. The update in particular clears up rules related to the reintroduction of border controls and offers solutions to situations where migrants are instrumentalised.

As of today, 1 January 2024, the people of Kosovo with biometric passports no longer require visas when travelling for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period to all 27 Schengen Area countries.

Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution wrapping up the fact-finding investigation by the Working Group on Frontex Scrutiny with 366 votes in favour, 154 against, and 15 abstaining. The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) inter alia share concerns over the situation in Greece, Lithuania and Hungary.

Eurostat published today data referring to the attribution of temporary protection status based on the Council Implementing Decision 2022/382 of 4 March 2022. On 31 August 2023, almost 4.2 million non-EU citizens, who fled Ukraine as a consequence of the Russian invasion on 24 February 2022, had temporary protection status in EU countries. 

The national conference organised by EMN Austria this year will facilitate an insightful discussion among experts on the efficient and humanitarian management of EU’s external borders.

A Belgian expert participated in the conference of the Austrian Contact Point to the European Migration Network (EMN) focusing on opportunities and challenges in the management of EU's external borders. Participants inter alia identified the weaponization of migration as a major challenge concerning the protection of EU's external borders.

The European Commission is proposing today to further extend the temporary protection for people fleeing Russia's aggression against Ukraine from 4 March 2024 to 3 March 2025. This Commission proposal will now have to be adopted by the Council.