The Foreign affairs (development) Council meeting of 12 December 2014 has adopted a number of conclusions in the field of migration and development cooperation emphasizing the positive migration and development circle and orientations to strengthen this relation.

On 4 December 2014, 22 Syrian refugees landed in Belgium for resettlement. 53 more are expected to arrive by the end of the year. Further resettlements of Syrian refugees are planned in 2015.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued a case-law in relation to international protection and protection of human rights in the case of alleged persecutions because of an applicant's sexual orientation.

On the occasion of 25 November 2014 EP Plenary Debate on Migration, EU new Commissioner for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship, Dimitris Avramopoulos, introduced the debate and presented the EU main orientations and policy fields for an integrated approach on migration and asylum

The proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council, amending Regulation (EU) No 604/2013, aims at clarifying Member States’ responsibilities for examining the application for international protection of unaccompanied minors

On 20 October 2014, the European Ombudsman, Emily O'Reilly, has opened an investigation into how Frontex ensures the respect of fundamental rights of migrants who are subject to forced returns from the EU to their countries of origin.

After ten years of support to families, through its centre of private international family law, the ADDE proposes to study some actual problems experienced by the beneficiaries of the centre.

In November 2014, Belgium will welcome 75 Syrian refugees who have fled violence and war in their country. The refugees concerned are particularly vulnerable, including families and minors.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

In the past few days more than 300 people died as a consequence of three different incidents with vessels that were trying to cross the Mediterranean Sea from North Africa to Europe.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

This is the July-August edition of EASO’s Newsletter. The newsletter provides information on the most recent EASO publications and activities.

On July 7, a press conference was held with Commissioner Cecilia Malmström and EASO's Executive Director entitled: 'EASO Annual Report on the Situation of Asylum in the European Union in 2013' and 'Latest Asylum Trends in Europe'.

In the light of a recent judgment of the Court of Justice of the EU, the Commission is proposing to clarify which Member State is responsible for examining applications made by unaccompanied minors.

The Eurostat newsrelease provides information on the annual (final instance) asylum decisions data for 2013 (Eurostat).

This year, the EMN Conference aims to support the policymaking process on a number of key areas of irregular migration policy, namely readmission, return, reintegration and cooperation with countries of transit and origin, as well as re-entry bans and (alternatives to) detention.

The French speaking Court of first instance of Brussels ruled on 19 May 2014 that an Afghan applicant rightly claimed that various organizations (UNHCR, ECRE, Amnesty International…) advocate the suspension of transfers to Bulgaria due to inadequate reception conditions and human rights violations.

The 7th Meeting of the Global Forum on Migration and Development (GFMD) will take place in Stockholm on 14-16 May 2014. The GFMD Civil Society Days are held prior to the meeting, on 12-13 May 2014.

In preparation of the Global Forum on Migration and Development Meeting in Stockholm the 14th to 16th May the Transatlantic Council on Migration published a Council Statement: How Migration Can Advance Development Goals.

Prof. Luis E. Guarnizo (University of California, Davis) will explore the epistemic and ontological origins and evolution of transnationalism as an analytical perspective in migration studies since its origins in the early 1990s.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposed " list of safe countries of origin ". Since two years the same seven countries are on the list : Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, FYROM, Kosovo, Montenegro, Serbia and India.

UNHCR "Asylum Trends 2013" says that 612.700 people applied for asylum in North America, Europe, East Asia and the Pacific last year, the highest total for any year since 2001. The report shows how this is primarily driven by the crisis in Syria.