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.

A "White Marriages" cell has been created in the Special Laws Division of the Brussels South police area. It has started its activities on 3 december 2012.

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”

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.

Maggie De Block, State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Policy, Social Integration and the Fight against Poverty, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Justice, proposed to the Council of Ministers to modify the concerned legislation.

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

Secretary of State Maggie De Block (Open VLD) pays attention to misuse of the right to family reunification, more particularly false declarations of parenthood.

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.

Eurostat publishes an edition of 'statistics in focus' on mixed-marriages. By using data from two EU surveys, the percentage of persons in mixed marriage is estimated in 30 European countries over recent years.

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.

This seminar of the Academy of European Law will provide legal practitioners with an in-depth analysis of the relevant legislative measures, the most recent and important developments in jurisprudence and the impact of European human rights instruments on the issue of familiy reunification.

Belgium responded to the Green paper consultation of the European Commission on the Right to Family Reunification of Third Country Nationals (Directive 2003/86/EC).

On February 17,2012 the law of January 19, 2012: “Law for modification of the legislation regarding the reception of asylum seekers” was published.

The new law from 8 July 2011 makes family reunification related provisions more complex. This half study day plans to clarify new provisions and their impact on persons whose application is pending or who are temporarily allowed to stay on the territory.

The Migration Policy Group publishes the recordings of the webinar presenting the four MPG Family Reunion policy briefings to assist organisations responding to the EU Family Reunion consultation

The new Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration and for Social Integration, Maggie De Block (Open VLD) presented today her policy paper on reception in the Parliament.