The tragedy in Lampedusa prompted an unprecedented call for action by EU leaders and citizens. On 4 December, the Commission proposed ways to increase solidarity and mutual support in order to prevent migrants' death in the Mediterranean.

Ending its 3279th meeting of 5 and 6 December, the JHA Council presents its conclusions. Topics discussed include the free movement of EU citizens, the Task Force Mediterranean, full application of the Schengen acquis by Bulgaria and Romania and the European citizenship report 2013.

On 5 December, the Council of the EU adopted unanimously a regulation, introducing a suspension and reciprocity mechanism in the Council Regulation, listing the third countries whose nationals must be in possession of visas to enter the EU.

On 2 December the European Border Surveillance System becomes operational. EUROSUR will make an important contribution to saving lives and will also equip the EU and its Member States with better tools to prevent cross-border crimes and to detect and provide assistance to migrant boats in distress.

This panel debate will bring together experts, policymakers, and social partners involved in the management of labour migration to discuss the various options available to policymakers when trying to design an 'optimally balanced' labour migration policy.

On 19 November 2013, the University of Antwerp organises a day of lectures on "Developments in European, Belgian and Flemish labour migration law". The legal framework has recently been changed at European and national levels.

Today Deloitte announces the results of its 2013-2014 comparative immigration study. It shows that Belgium is one of the most attractive countries for highly skilled foreigners thanks to speed, cost and conditions.

On 5 and 6 November, the Lithuanian EU Presidency hosted the EMN Annual conference. This edition focussed on the achievements and challenges of EU labour migration and the role of migration in the EU Agenda for Growth.

The Annual EMN Conference 2013 will address EU Labour Migration Policy. The Conference "The Agenda for Growth in the EU: Why Migration Matters" will take place in Vilnius, Lithuania.

The European Parliament and Council provisionally agreed on a draft directive that will manage temporary legal migration and ensure protection of workers from exploitation.

Starting from today, 18 October 2013, a new definition of "short stay" and another method of calculating the period of short stay, must be applied by all EU Member States.

The Members of the European Parliament approved the operating rules of Eurosur, a communication network that enables Member States to share real-time images and data on development at the EU's external borders.

The Belgian National Contact Point of the European Migration Network (EMN) organises a lunchmeeting to present the results of the EMN-study on "Attracting Highly Qualified and Qualified Third-Country Nationals".

On 30 September 2013, the Belgian EMN NCP organized a lunch debate to present and discuss on the outcomes of the recently published study "Attracting highly qualified and qualified third-country nationals". The national television showed up and covered the event in the one o'clock news.

On 30 September, the Belgian Contact Point of the EMN holds a lunchmeeting on attracting highly skilled and skilled third country nationals. A reflection is also launched ​​towards the future regionalization of labor migration policy.

The Academy of European Law (ERA) organises a conference on the internal border management of the EU.

The Commission has made its new proposal to replace the measure which the Court of Justice annulled in September.

SIS II, which is seen as a vital seucirty factor in the EU, will be in operation on 9 April 2013, becoming one of the world's largest IT systems in the field.