Today, the Belgian Contact Point of the European Migration Network organized its national conference, which focused on the main developments in the field of migration and asylum that took place in Belgium in 2017.

A joint European Migration Network & OECD event exploring the topics of family migration and illegal employment took place in Brussels on 9 November 2017.

On the 26th of October 2017 the general policy note on asylum and migration of the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration was published. The policy note provides an overview of the main achievements and priorities in the field of asylum and migration.

Today, the Belgian National Contact Point of the European Migration Network organized an event in Brussels to discuss the irregular employment of third country nationals.

In the summer of 2017, more and more transit migrants, who wish to go to the UK, were staying in the Maximilian park in Brussels. The Belgian government did not want this park to become ‘a new Calais’. A number of transit migrants were intercepted and detained. Because a lot of them were presumed Sudanese, a Sudanese delegation was invited to come to Belgium for identification. Left-wing politicians and NGOs stressed that the Sudanese regime’s human rights record is particularly worrying. Campaigns were organised to better inform the transit migrants. On 04.10.2017 these issues were debated in the Belgian Parliament.

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.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), published data on recent arrivals in Europe.  Compared with the 273,000 migrants who landed from January through Aug. 27, 2016, about 121,000 arrived during the same period this year. Furthermore, there was no evidence of any migrant dying in the Mediterranean since Aug. 9

The State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration Theo Francken and the Walloon Minister for Employment have signed on 29 August a collaboration agreement intended to foster the socio-professional insertion of asylum seekers.

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.

Today, the restricted Council of Ministers has approved the proposal of the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration to create a single registration centre for asylum seekers in Neder-Over-Heembeek.

According to the Missing Migrants Project, an estimate of 7495 men, women and children migrants or refugees died or were reported missing across five continents in 2016. That is almost 20 victims per day and the number may not include them all.

In october 2016, Fedasil has opened a new return desk in Charleroi, where migrants can receive information and assistance on voluntary return.

Due to the decreasing inflow of asylum seekers in Belgium, the reception network will be gradually decreased and the implementation of the new reception model will be resumed.

As from today 24 July, a EUR 200 administrative fine is immediately due and payable by foreigners at the border and EU citizens on the territory who irregularly cross borders/stay on the territory.

Does the refugees crisis also means a crisis of the EU ? This question will be addressed during the colloquium organized by the "Laboratoire de Droit international et Européen" and the "Centre d'excellence J. MONNET de l'UNS" in partnership with the "Centre d'excellence J. MONNET de l'UGA".

What future for the Dublin system ? Will this new regulation make it more efficient, fair and respectful of fundamental rights ? These questions will be addressed during the debate organized by the Odysseus Academic Network.

Today, the Council of Ministers has approved the proposal of the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration to gradually reduce the Belgian reception capacity.

The Institute for European Studies (Vrije Universiteit Brussel) organizes a Policy Forum on the role of the EU's home affairs agencies in the refugee crisis.