Six years after the promotion of a “new approach to a new neighbourhood” following the 2011 uprisings, what is the state of play of EU’s cooperation with the MENA region in the field of migration and asylum? This session will allow to reflect on the EU's external cooperation in the field of migration and asylum with South and East Mediterranean countries.

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.

CEMO organises a study morning in Brussels on the topic of the experience of exile through family reunification: myths, procedures and uprooting.

A law published today in the Belgian Official Gazette increases the maximum time limits for processing applications for family reunification. It will enter into force on 8 July 2016.

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

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.

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.

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 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

Eurostat published data on first residence permits issued to non-EU nationals. A residence permit represents an authorization issued by the competent authorities of a country allowing third-country national (non-EU citizens) to stay legally on its territory.

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.

The European Commission published on 26 September 2014 a handbook to help EU Member States take action against marriages of convenience between EU citizens and non-EU nationals in the context of EU law on free movement. The Commission prepared the handbook in close cooperation with Member States.

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 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.

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 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.