The Fedasil Info Point in Brussels has been supporting asylum seekers and other migrants for two years, providing accessible and centralised information in one location. Since reopening on 27 September 2023 at the former Bordet Hospital site, it has welcomed over 22.000 visitors, mostly single men with ongoing asylum procedures. Visitors most frequently ask about accommodation, medical care, legal support, and other practical matters. Partners such as Caritas International and the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) assist in providing guidance and support.

The Presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators have reached a provisional agreement to enhance Europol’s role in supporting Member States against migrant smuggling and human trafficking. The deal focuses on improving information sharing and operational coordination at EU level. A European Centre Against Migrant Smuggling will be established within Europol. The agreement must still be formally approved by both the Council and the European Parliament.

Belgium introduced targeted internal checks in July 2025 to address irregular and secondary migration. The measures are applied at airports, international bus and rail stations, and motorway rest areas. Over 11.000 individuals have been checked, with some ordered to leave the territory or placed in closed centres. The government plans to continue the checks and to conduct a six‑month evaluation.

Did you know that the UNHCR Operational Data Portal provides detailed, up-to-date information on sea arrivals in Europe? As of 24 August 2025, a total of 89.189 people have reached European shores by sea. The majority of these arrivals have been recorded in Italy and Greece, while Spain also received significant numbers. In 2024, a total of 187.337 sea arrivals were reported, illustrating the continued importance of Mediterranean and North-West African routes.

In the first half of 2025, West Flanders saw 72 transit migrants intercepted, a significant decrease compared with previous years. Most were from Ethiopia, while earlier periods involved people from Sudan, Iraq and Vietnam. Authorities cite preventive policing and cross-border controls as key factors.

The European Commission has formally established the Network for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse. This expert group will bring together policymakers, practitioners and researchers to tackle abuse both online and offline. Prevention efforts aim to protect children and address potential offending behaviour. The initiative forms part of the EU Strategy for a more effective fight against child sexual abuse.

The “Blue Heart” is recognised as the international symbol of the fight against human trafficking. On 28 July 2025, the Blue Heart Campaign was launched at Leuven City Hall. EMN Belgium joined local authorities, the three specialised centres for victims of human trafficking, Myria, the UNODC and many other stakeholders on this occasion. The theme of this year is “Human Trafficking is Organized Crime – End the Exploitation”.

On 24 June 2025, EMN Belgium participated in the Polish Presidency Conference on countering irregular migration. The discussions examined this phenomenon from three perspectives: strengthening the EU’s external borders to prevent irregular entries, combating migrant smuggling to dismantle criminal networks, and addressing the root causes of irregular migration and providing safe and legal alternatives.

This high-level conference will provide panel discussions among EU Member States’ ministries, the European Commission, EU agencies, national stakeholders, international organisations, and third-country officials to exchange views on tackling irregular migration, border management, countering migrant smuggling, and addressing root causes of migration.

On 19 June 2025, Interior Minister Bernard Quintin and Asylum and Migration Minister Anneleen Van Bossuyt announced that, starting from summer 2025, federal police, local police, and the Immigration Office will collaborate to conduct targeted checks within Belgium. These measures aim to combat irregular migration and secondary movements towards Belgium. Reactions have emerged regarding the capacity required to implement such checks, their actual effectiveness in reducing irregular migration, and whether they can deliver a real deterrent effect or remain largely symbolic.

Thirty-eight members of a Belgian-Chinese human trafficking network have been formally referred by the Ghent chamber of indictment to the correctional court. They face multiple charges including sexual exploitation, trafficking, pimping, money laundering, and document forgery. The Federal Migration Centre, Myria, has joined the case as a civil party, representing the interests of victims. 

On 3 June 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) delivered a judgment clarifying the scope of the offence of facilitation of unauthorised entry into the EU. The Court ruled that a third-country national cannot be criminally penalised for bringing minors under their care into an EU Member State, even if this entry breaches border rules. This decision emphasises the protection of family responsibilities and fundamental rights within EU law.

On 13 May 2025, Belgian authorities arrested six individuals in West Flanders as part of a coordinated international operation targeting an organised migrant smuggling network suspected of facilitating the irregular entry of up to 300 non-EU nationals into the European Union. In total, fifteen suspects were apprehended in Belgium, Germany and Poland, in a series of actions supported by Europol and Eurojust and involving close cooperation between law enforcement and judicial authorities in the participating countries.

According to preliminary data published by Frontex, the number of irregular border crossings into the European Union decreased by 27% between January and April 2025, compared to the same period in 2024. Nearly 47.000 crossings were detected during the first four months of 2025.

On 11-12 May 2025, Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt visited Chisinau to emphasise that asylum applications from Moldovan nationals—coming from a country considered safe—are processed through an accelerated procedure in Belgium. She also announced the immediate discontinuation of the return incentive, which is seen as encouraging misuse of the asylum system. 

On 7 May 2025, the Court of First Instance of West Flanders, Bruges division, sentenced the Vietnamese national, N. Van Kim (34), in absentia to twelve years’ imprisonment and a fine of €616,000 for human smuggling under aggravating circumstances. The court also ordered the deprivation of his civil rights for ten years and issued a warrant for his immediate arrest.

An unprecedented international law enforcement operation has led to the dismantling of Kidflix, one of the world’s largest child sexual exploitation platforms. With the support of Europol, authorities from over 35 countries – including Belgium – coordinated efforts to shut down the site and identify the perpetrators. The platform had nearly two million registered users and facilitated the distribution of vast amounts of child sexual abuse material (CSAM).

The EU launched a call for proposals under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund to prevent irregular migration through awareness-raising and information campaigns on the risks of irregular migration in selected third countries and within Europe. The available call budget is EUR 10 000 000.

Several raids were carried out on 19 March 2025 by German authorities, with the support of investigators from the Belgian Federal Police. The operation targeted a criminal network based in Germany, facilitating the crossing of the English Channel by small boats. It resulted in 6 arrests under Belgian judicial orders.

In a recent study, the European Parliament Research Service (EPRS) recommended clarifying the scope of criminal offences in the Facilitation Directive to ensure that only activities involving organised criminal networks are included and called for the explicit exemption of humanitarian actions aligned with international protection from criminalisation.

The European Commission has launched a call of expression of interest to renew the composition of the “EU Civil Society Platform against trafficking in human beings”. Civil society organisations that are legally based in EU Member States and have demonstrated experience in the protection of and assistance to victims of trafficking in human beings are invited to apply before 5 March 2025.

In a coordinated effort to combat human trafficking, Europol hosted an international operational action from 25 to 28 February 2025, bringing together experts in analysis, OSINT (Open Source Intelligence), and investigations from 12 countries, including Belgium. The operation focused on detecting and disrupting human trafficking networks operating online, particularly those exploiting Ukrainian nationals.

According to a report commissioned by the governor of West Flanders, a total of 632 transmigrants were caught in the province in 2024, while in 2023 there were fewer than 400. The province's share of interceptions also went up. West Flanders accounted for about 70% of all transit migrants intercepted in Belgium in 2024, compared to around 50% in previous years.