Fedasil has announced a further reduction in the number of reception places for unaccompanied foreign minors (MENA), with 279 places set to be withdrawn from the network by 1 September 2025. The measure, approved in April, comes in response to the continuing decline in arrivals observed since 2023. Most of the places concerned will be converted into generic reception places.

The European Migration Network Luxembourg (EMN Luxembourg) and the UniGR-Center for Border Studies (UniGR-CBS) organise this conference to mark the 40th anniversary of the Schengen Agreement and to reflect on it critically in light of current developments. Places are limited.

On 21 and 22 May 2025, the European Migration Network’s Return Experts Group (EMN REG) convened a two-day workshop, hosted by the Belgian Immigration Office and EMN Belgium. The event brought together 50 participants from EU Member States, EU agencies (including Frontex and the EU Asylum Agency), civil society organisations, and international organisations. The workshop focused on the development and implementation of effective alternatives to detention (ATDs) within the EU’s migration and return systems.

The European Commission has released new figures revealing a substantial rise in short-stay visa applications to the EU and Schengen-associated countries in 2024. With over 11.7 million applications submitted, the upward trend reflects a continued post-pandemic recovery, although numbers remain below pre-COVID levels. Notably, Bulgaria and Romania began issuing Schengen visas on 31 March 2024, further integrating into the Schengen visa system.

On 17 May, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT), the organisation Prisme has disclosed a set of recommendations highlighting the challenges faced by LGBTQIA+ individuals seeking international protection in Belgium. These findings point to several shortcomings in the reception and asylum system and outline measures to ensure more inclusive procedures.

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.

During a lunch & learn session, the EMN Belgium team met with around 30 Fedasil staff members to present the work of the European Migration Network, encourage active participation in the national network, and provide updates on recent and upcoming publications and activities.

In a judgment issued on 11 April 2025, the District Court of The Hague, sitting in Groningen, found that single, non-vulnerable male asylum seekers face a real risk of being deprived of adequate reception facilities in Belgium, which could lead to inhumane or degrading treatment. This ruling follows previous decisions by Dutch judges who determined that Dublin transfers to Belgium could not be carried out due to insufficient guarantees of proper accommodation.

Last year, Fedasil’s mobile and multilingual Reach Out team provided information to 1.702 migrants in precarious situations in Brussels and Flanders. Representing more than 75 nationalities, these individuals received counselling on a wide range of topics, from international protection and reception to healthcare, employment, and voluntary return.

In a new report, Amnesty International urges the Belgian government to ensure that all people seeking asylum are given adequate housing and that they have access to adequate healthcare services, including specialised psychological support, regardless of their housing situation. Belgian authorities are also called to activate the "dispersal plan" outlined in domestic law and implement contingency plans to manage fluctuations in the number of asylum applications.

This workshop, jointly organised by the General Department of Immigration of the Ministry of Home Affairs of Luxembourg, the Detention Center of the Ministry of Home Affairs and EMN Luxembourg, will serve as a platform for Member States to exchange their first insights on progress made and challenges encountered while adapting to the new requirements put in place by the Screening Regulation.

On 25 March 2025, the Belgian Contact Point to the European Migration Network (EMN) participated in a study morning dedicated to the presentation of a new tool: "The Reception Centre as Seen by Children." The new tool provides practical methods for capturing children's experiences, enabling professionals to better understand their needs and enhance the quality of care in these centres.

The Minister for Asylum and Migration has decided to discontinue the Impuls Fund, which had been established to provide additional support to local authorities in covering the extra costs associated with opening new Local Reception Initiatives. The Minister will now move towards a more collective approach to reception, with existing Local Reception Initiatives being gradually phased out. 

In their report 2024, seven humanitarian and civil society organisations raise concerns over the Belgian government's plan to reduce reception places for applicants for international protection, warning that this measure could increase homelessness, negatively impact individuals' health and integration prospects, and generate significant hidden costs for society.

EU Home Affairs Ministers approved a roadmap for the gradual implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) starting in October 2025, the revised Eurodac database set to become operational in June 2026 and ETIAS in late 2026. Ministers also reached broad agreement on facilitating go-and-see visits for Syrians in the EU to assess conditions in their home country without losing their protection status, as well as on measures to return Syrian nationals who pose a security threat or have been convicted of crimes.

Nine human rights associations, including 11.11.11 Belgium, published the European Pushback Report 2024. The report highlights that illegal pushbacks are a persistent practice at Europe's borders and calls for the establishment of independent monitoring mechanisms at borders to ensure compliance with human rights standards and to prevent further violations.

Fedasil revealed that Belgium resettled 487 people in 2024, exceeding the 287 resettled in 2023. The refugees resettled in 2024 mainly came from countries such as Syria, Congo, Eritrea and Sudan.

On 23 January 2023, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs participated in the European Parliament plenary session to discuss EU funding of physical border protection structures such as walls, fences or other barriers at the external border. According to him, the Commission will take border management needs into account “in a holistic manner”, whilst always ensuring proportionate measures and respect for fundamental rights.

With only 239 000 irregular crossings into the EU detected in 2024, Frontex reports the lowest number of irregular crossings since 2021, but warns about shifting dynamics and evolving challenges.

While Belgium continues to face a reception crisis, ongoing since the summer of 2021, the latest figures from Fedasil show that the number of places for asylum seekers made available by municipalities continues to decrease.

The Council of the European Union adopted a decision to lift checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania from 1 January 2025. Bulgaria and Romania will so become full Schengen members.

The situation at the Union’s borders with Russia and Belarus remains of concern with persistent threats related to the weaponisation of migrants. In a new Communication, the European Commission sets the framework for actions to guarantee the security of the Union and the territorial integrity of the Member States.

From 9 December 2024 until 8 June 2025, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee will conduct temporary checks at its borders with Belgium and Germany to, among other things, stem irregular immigration into the country and combat migrant smuggling. Travellers intending to cross the border are advised to carry their ID documents with them.