Today, the Belgian State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs signed a letter of intent to increase the cooperation of the two countries regarding monitoring beneficiaries of international protection who travel to their countries of origin.

The European Commission is today recommending that Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway phase out the temporary controls currently in place at some of their internal Schengen borders over the next six months.

On 18 March 2017, a regulation amending the Schengen borders code was published in the EU Official Journal. The amendment aims to reinforce checks against relevant databases at the external borders.

Eurostat published a news release on the number of asylum applications in 2016 and published an article on asylum applications and decisions for 2016 on its website.

This joint seminar organized by the Estonian Contact Point of the EMN, UNHCR and IOM focuses on the current state, challenges and future directions of resettlement in Estonia and elsewhere.

In its judgement delivered today, the Court of Justice has ruled that Member States are not required – under EU law – to grant a humanitarian visa to persons who wish to enter their territory with a view to applying for asylum. However, they are free to do so on the basis of their national law.  

Today is the opening of a photo exhibition focusing on Melilla, Europe's Southern border. This exhibition is the outcome of a one year and a half project initiated by four youths graduated in journalism.

Today, the Commission adopted its ninth progress report on the EU's emergency relocation and resettlement schemes, assessing actions taken since 8 December 2016.

Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen organizes an evening event on the subject of international protection. The programme includes a dance performance, a debate, a movie screening and a concert.

The Passenger Name Record (PNR) law has been adopted in Parliament in December 2016. It was published in the Belgian Official Gazette on 25 January 2017. On the basis of this law, carriers will be obliged to send data on their passengers travelling from, to, or across Belgium to a central database.

Ahead of the meeting of Heads of State or Government in Malta on 3 February 2017, the Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President have set out their contribution to the discussion on how to better manage migration and save lives along the Central Mediterranean route.

The Commission is today proposing to improve the Schengen Information System (SIS) to close information gaps and to contribute to a stronger control of external borders and sustainable EU Security Union.

This full day conference addresses current responses to the ongoing refugee crisis, providing an opportunity to highlight best practices and challenges.

The Commission recommends today that transfers to Greece should be resumed gradually, only for asylum seekers for whom Greece is responsible from 15 March 2017, and subject to individual assurances from the Greek authorities.