At the occasion of the IE EMN NCP conference in Dublin, a wide audience, including national policy makers and experts as well as representatives from the Commission and other NCPs, discussed protection challenges.

This Eurostat news release shows that workers remittances amounted to 39.1 billion euro in 2011, up by 2% compared with 2010.

On 29th November in Paris, the French NCP organised a conference on the CEAS. The next day there was a EMN-Cluster Meeting on reception conditions for asylum seekers in the EU: "existing mechanisms and good practices”

This conference takes place within the framework of the project "Awareness raising of the risks associated with irregular migration and support to vocational reintegration of migrants in the Republic of Congo" (2011-2012).

The Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) achieved a Political Agreement on the Reception Conditions Directive, discussed recent developments in Syria and council conclusions were endorsed concerning the new EU strategy to combat human trafficking.

The Belgian Council of Ministers decided to provide a subsidy to finance prefabricated schools in Syrian refugee camps in Turkey. The assistance is provided in the framework of the policy on conflict prevention of Foreign Affairs.

ISC Intelligence in Science, together with Emer Costello MEP, organise a seminar to explore the impact of Diaspora on EU policy priorities and examine options for Diaspora as a theme of EU policy.

The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) gave the green light to an agreement to recast the Reception Conditions Directive.

GFMD 2012 will focus on "Enhancing the Human Development of Migrants and their Contribution to the Development of Communities and States". A provisional agenda (as of 3 September 2012) was presented at the High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration on 13 September.

The law of January 19, 2012 introduced the concept of a “return track” for asylum seekers, a framework for individual counseling on return, offered by the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil). New instructions implement this return track in the reception centres.

The workshop aims at sharing ideas on the relevance of mobility partnerships and projects supporting their implementation as well as enhancement of collaboration and funding opportunities.

The conference aims to foster the exchange of practices and experience among present and potential partners and to raise awareness of Mobility Partnerships in their full multidimensionality and reflect on their future.

The first issue on "Global Perspectives on Migration and Development" explores fresh strategies proposed by the GFMD in its fourth year of operation in Mexico and beyond.

The handbook was presented and commented on by panelists from IOM, MPI, Swedish Ambassador for the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) as well as representatives from the European Commission, Board of the Diaspora Forum for Development and other stakeholders.

On 2 May, Representatives of the Parliament of the French community unanimously approved the reform of the reception and education of foreign newcomer children, improving and making "bridging classes" more flexible.

The annual report of the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil) has been launced. Fedasil updates you on the voluntary return program that it runs as well as the reception situation and network in 2011.

Philippe Fargues, director of the Migration Policy Centre (MPC), presents the different tasks, projects and activities of the new MPC, founded in January 2012, with the support of the European Union.