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.  

In response to the large influx of Ukrainian refugees, the Estonian Ministry of Culture is looking into setting up new possibilities for e-learning the local language. The objective of this query is to map other EMN Member and Observer Countries’ experience with technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality, to develop an offer of virtual language learning.

Have Member States created municipal level centres where foreigners can receive the main migration and integration services in one place? This ad hoc query examines who are the actors involved and the services offered and to what extent foreigners are satisfied about such services. 

How do medium-sized cities deal with the newcomers, the “international talent”? This book focuses on “incoming” internationalization driven by the attraction, facilitation, and integration of skilled migrants in urban settings, taking a policy perspective.

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

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), as of 15 November 2022, more than 7.8 million people have left Ukraine in search of safety, arriving primarily in neighbouring European Union (EU) and third countries. These Informs analyse the arrangements European Union (EU) Member States have put in place for accommodation and housing and access to specific services namely social benefits, education, employment, and healthcare for beneficiaries of temporary protection, in the context of the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) (2001/55/EC), triggered in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022.

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.

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.

What are the challenges migrants face in accessing mental health services, and how are Member States addressing them? This inform maps the policies in place to help legally-residing migrants access mental health services.

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. 

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.

In 2003, the Council adopted the Long-Term Resident Directive 2003/109/EC in order to promote the integration of third-country nationals in legal stay in the EU. Fourteen years after its entry into force, EMN Luxembourg conducted a study on the implementation of the Directive in 23 EU Member States, including Belgium.

These three EMN Informs look into i.a. possible approaches for return counselling, support for return counsellors, and information provision for the return of migrants.