This conference aims to provide legal practitioners with an update on recent developments in the EU legal migration system and the mechanisms put in place to tackle labour and skills shortages and to reinforce the attractiveness of the EU for key workers

In a judgment handed down today, the EU Court of Justice responded to a Dutch prejudicial question on family reunification of (unaccompanied minor) refugees. Following the reasoning of the Court, an unaccompanied minor who attains the age of majority during the asylum procedure retains its right to family reunification.

At the height of the refugee “crisis” in October 2015, over 7,000 asylum seekers crossed the Aegean Sea from Turkey to Greece per day. This created problematic conditions for refugees in reception centers and overwhelmed Greece as a first country of entry to the EU. In this setting, the EU-Turkey Statement was concluded with the aim of managing migration across the Aegean Sea and curbing arrivals to the EU. Whilst the Statement was effective in reducing the number of arrivals, it has been met with a series of human rights concerns.

This training session (in Dutch) provided by the Flemish Agency for Integration and Civic Integration aims at providing participants with a basic understanding of international family law.

The European Commission proposes to reform the EU's common visa policy. It also reports on - and calls for - further progress under the European Agenda on Migration. Finally it mobilises additional funding for Syrian refugees in Turkey.

This training session (in Dutch) provided by the Flemish Agency for Integration and Civic Integration aims at providing participants with a basic understanding of international family law.

This training session (in Dutch) provided by the Flemish Agency for Integration and Civic Integration aims at providing participants with a basic understanding of international family law.

This full day conference will provide an opportunity to exchange information on family reunification schemes, in Ireland and abroad. Drawing on the findings of a recently published European Migration Network study the family reunification policy frameworks operational elsewhere in the EU will be discussed and compared.

The Belgian government and the city of Mechelen host a global conference on cities and migration in order to identify actionable recommendations on cooperation for migration governance at local and national levels.

A joint European Migration Network & OECD event exploring the topics of family migration and illegal employment took place in Brussels on 9 November 2017.

As of 2 November 2017, family members of foreign nationals who obtained a long term resident status in another Member State and reside in Belgium will not have to obtain a work permit if the long term residents themselves do not require such a permit.

On the 26th of October 2017 the general policy note on asylum and migration of the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration was published. The policy note provides an overview of the main achievements and priorities in the field of asylum and migration.

The European Commission published a mid-term review of what has been achieved so far in delivering the European Agenda on Migration. It also sets out new initiatives from the Commission to address key areas, and identifies where further efforts are needed in the coming months.

The European Commission has launched a public consultation to collect evidence, experiences, data and opinions to support the evaluation of the existing EU legal framework for the legal entry and stay of nationals of non-EU countries to the EU Member States. The deadline is 18 September 2017. 

Following up on the Commission's Action Plan to support Italy from 4 July, the EU Trust Fund for Africa adopted today a programme worth €46 million to reinforce the integrated migration and border management capacities of the Libyan authorities.

The Conference of the Dutch Contact Point of the EMN, which will take place in the Hague on 18 May 2017, will focus on family reunification in the Netherlands and Europe.

The Conference of the Swedish National Contact Point of the EMN, which will take place in Stockholm on 12 May 2017, will focus on family reunification in Sweden and in the EU.