On 3 February 2017, the 28 Heads of States discussed the external dimension of migration at the informal summit in Malta. They adopted the Malta Declaration.

A decree of the government of the French-speaking Community – which entered into force today – introduces changes regarding the procedure of recognition of the equivalence of higher education diplomas and certificates obtained abroad.

The Action Plan aims at supporting Member States in the integration of third-country nationals and their economic and social contribution to the EU. It will be accompanied by a legal proposal to reform the rules on highly skilled migrants coming to the EU to work.

The Commission has announced today the approval of new actions in the Horn of Africa region under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

The launch event of the European Dialogue on Skills and Migration aims to help the Commission understand what to do better to maximize the benefits of migration for the EU as a whole.

Possible topics for papers include the effects of migration on poverty, inequality and human capital formation; social networks and migration; diaspora externalities; remittances; brain drain; migration and institutional/technological change.

Looking at the migration/refugee crisis, the College of Commissioners looked back at measures taken in 2015 and the initiatives to be presented in 2016 to further develop collective European action and deliver clear and tangible results.

During the first six months of 2016, the Dutch Presidency will work on the priorities agreed with Slovakia and Malta in an 18 month trio programme setting long-term goals for the period January 2016-June 2017.

The European Commission has today presented a recommendation for a voluntary humanitarian admission scheme to create a system of solidarity and responsibility sharing with Turkey for refugees from Syria.

The Commission is referring Belgium for failing to transpose the Single Permit Directive. The Commission proposes a daily penalty of 52,828.16 euros.

Between 2014 and 2020, the EU will support Niger through the Emergency Trust Fund, inter alia to better manage migration flows, through improved border management and increased support to fight against trafficking and smuggling networks.

Today Belgium lifted the restrictions on the free movement of workers from Croatia. Croatian citizens are now able to fully exercise their right to work in Belgium without a work permit.

Today, 28 May 2015, the European Commission launched a public consultation on the future of the Blue Card Directive. This consultation invites stakeholders (migrants, employers, trade unions, governmental organisations, etc.) to share their views on the EU Blue Card and how it can be improved.

This annual conference aims to tackle the current challenges for the EU in developing a coherent legal framework in the field of labour migration and to provide practitioners with an update on the legal rules applicable to labour migrants.

The European Commission asks Belgium to implement rules on a Single Permit and a clear set of rights for legal migrant workers.

The Annual Conference of the European Migration Network was held on March 19 and 20. It aimed to provide a global context for the ‘competition for talent’ as well as the practical responses that Member States have developed to ensure that their skills needs can be identified and met.