At the beginning of 2023, a coordination meeting of the directors of the Belgian closed detention centers was held. At this meeting, they expressed their concern about the significant increase in the trafficking of drugs inside their centers. That’s why EMN Belgium was asked to launch an ad hoc query in order to gather information on how this issue is addressed in the other Member States.  

This ad hoc query, launched by Luxembourg, examines what guidelines, procedures, and possible best practices are in place when LGBTIQ+ individuals are detained.

How do other EU Member States, and Georgia, recognise diplomas obtained in third countries? This ad hoc query, that Belgium launched in July 2022, focused on the (i) institutional landscape for diploma recognition throughout Europe, (ii) the role of Public Employment Services in this recognition and (iii) best practices that the responding States wanted to share regarding their diploma recognition practices, specifically in the context of the Ukrainian crisis. 20 countries answered the query.

What bilateral readmission agreements exist between EU Member States, Norway and third countries to facilitate the return of migrants staying irregularly on the EU territory? This EMN inform aims to map these agreements and understand how they work.

Do Member States grant access to the labour market to family members of international students and, if so, to which family members and under which conditions? This ad hoc query launched by Belgium shows that policies and practices in this matter still vary among Member States.

What incentives and motives exist that impact a third-country national’s decision to depart voluntarily? This EMN inform focuses on the issue of voluntary departures from EU Member States and Norway, in compliance with - or in anticipation of - a return decision.

EMN in cooperation with the OECD published a new inform ‘Skills Mobility Partnerships: Exploring Innovative Approaches to Labour Migration’. This inform highlights experiences by EU Member States, non-EU countries and international organisations with regards to the introduction of Skills Mobility Partnerships (SMPs), a new concept that promotes a sustainable approach to skilled migration and mobility, with the aim to build skills for the benefit of both countries of origin and destination.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on return procedures had been significant across EU countries as well as OECD countries in and outside Europe since March 2020. This Inform looks into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on voluntary and forced return procedures and on policy responses. 

For many EU countries, seasonal workers from third countries are crucial to fill temporary, cyclical labour market needs. Since the adoption of the Seasonal Workers Directive in 2016, this specific category of workers can benefit from EU-harmonised admission policies and rights concerning their entry and stay. This study provides a comparative overview of recent trends in seasonal workers coming to the EU and Belgium, and the strategies and practices related to seasonal workers from third countries.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the flow of migrants who planned to enter the EU and OECD countries as workers in essential sectors (e.g. health- and care- workers, hospital auxiliary staff, agricultural workers) as well as those who were residing on a temporary or renewable basis for the purpose of work in these sectors. How did EU & OECD countries respond to the need to prevent labour market shortages during the COVID-19 crisis? An answer to this and other questions can be found in the Inform.

24 Member States provided information on national laws and practices regarding the detention of families with children in migration procedures, the possibility to detain one of the parents and detention in the context of the age assessment process.

The first EMN and OECD inform on the impact of COVID-19 in the migration area is out. The inform focuses on EU and OECD Member States responses to managing residence permits and migrant unemployment.