At the height of the refugee “crisis” in October 2015, over 7,000 asylum seekers crossed the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece per day. This created problematic conditions for refugees in reception centers and overwhelmed Greece as a first country of entry to the EU. In this setting, the EU-Turkey Statement was concluded with the aim of managing migration across the Aegean Sea and curbing arrivals to the EU. Whilst the Statement was effective in reducing the number of arrivals, it has been met with a series of human rights concerns.

The European Commission proposes to reform the EU's common visa policy. It also reports on - and calls for - further progress under the European Agenda on Migration. Finally it mobilises additional funding for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

The Belgian government and the city of Mechelen host a global conference on cities and migration in order to identify actionable recommendations on cooperation for migration governance at local and national levels.

The European Commission published a mid-term review of what has been achieved so far in delivering the European Agenda on Migration. It also sets out new initiatives from the Commission to address key areas, and identifies where further efforts are needed in the coming months.

Following up on the Commission's Action Plan to support Italy from 4 July, the EU Trust Fund for Africa adopted today a programme worth €46 million to reinforce the integrated migration and border management capacities of the Libyan authorities.

Six years after the promotion of a “new approach to a new neighbourhood” following the 2011 uprisings, what is the state of play of EU’s cooperation with the MENA region in the field of migration and asylum? This session will allow to reflect on the EU's external cooperation in the field of migration and asylum with South and East Mediterranean countries.

On 3 February 2017, the 28 Heads of States discussed the external dimension of migration at the informal summit in Malta. They adopted the Malta Declaration.

The Commission has announced today the approval of new actions in the Horn of Africa region under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

Possible topics for papers include the effects of migration on poverty, inequality and human capital formation; social networks and migration; diaspora externalities; remittances; brain drain; migration and institutional/technological change.

Looking at the migration/refugee crisis, the College of Commissioners looked back at measures taken in 2015 and the initiatives to be presented in 2016 to further develop collective European action and deliver clear and tangible results.

During the first six months of 2016, the Dutch Presidency will work on the priorities agreed with Slovakia and Malta in an 18 month trio programme setting long-term goals for the period January 2016-June 2017.

The European Commission has today presented a recommendation for a voluntary humanitarian admission scheme to create a system of solidarity and responsibility sharing with Turkey for refugees from Syria.

Between 2014 and 2020, the EU will support Niger through the Emergency Trust Fund, inter alia to better manage migration flows, through improved border management and increased support to fight against trafficking and smuggling networks.

The Foreign affairs (development) Council meeting of 12 December 2014 has adopted a number of conclusions in the field of migration and development cooperation emphasizing the positive migration and development circle and orientations to strengthen this relation.

On the occasion of 25 November 2014 EP Plenary Debate on Migration, EU new Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, introduced the debate and presented the EU main orientations and policy fields for an integrated approach on migration and asylum

On 20 October 2014, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has opened an investigation into how Frontex ensures the respect of fundamental rights of migrants who are subject to forced returns from the EU to their countries of origin.

After ten years of support to families, through its centre of private international family law, the ADDE proposes to study some actual problems experienced by the beneficiaries of the centre.