This discussion paper stands against the immigration detention of minors, even used as a measure of last resort, and calls for implementing meaningful alternatives to detention during return procedures. It also recommends mandating the collection of data on this matter.

Unaccompanied minors who have little or no perspective of receiving a residence permit within EU Member States, may have co-existing problems such as mental health issues or substance addiction. This ad hoc query examines how EU Member States deal with this specific group and how they could improve the reception and supervision of these young persons.

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.

How do Member States and Norway ensure the care and protection of children who arrive in their countries, and what measures are in place in relation to guardianship, education, access to justice, and more? This new report from the European Migration Network (EMN) provides an overview of the progress made during 2020 in the implementation of the recommendations laid out in the 2017 Communication on the protection of children in migration and is the second edition of a series of reports developed by the EMN.

How do Member States ensure the protection of children in migration procedures, and what measures are in place in relation to guardianship, accommodation, transition into adulthood, and many more? This report from the European Migration Network (EMN), published on 10 March 2021, maps the state of implementation in 2019 of the recommendations laid down in the 2017 European Commission Communication on the protection of children in migration.
 

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 studies explore the types of national protection statuses existing in Belgium and the EU, as well as their key characteristics in terms of procedures and rights.

The phenomenon of unaccompanied migrant children going missing has increasingly been in the focus of public attention in the EU. Several international organisations and European NGOs have raised concerns that the disappearance of unaccompanied minors is not always addressed in an effective manner. What policies and procedures are in place to register and follow up on cases of missing children, and how is data on missing children collected in EU Members States, Norway and the UK? The new Inform from the European Migration Network (EMN), in collaboration with international organisations, EU agencies and NGOs, offers a comprehensive picture of how the phenomenon is tackled currently in the EU.

The PROTECT – Preventing sexual and gender-based violence against migrants and strengthening support to victims project aims to support the coordination and/or adaptation of support services for sexual and gender-based violence victims and potential victims among refugees, migrants and asylum seekers (children and adults, including LGBTQI people). It is funded by the European Union's Rights, Equality and Citizenship Programme (2014-2020).

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) published a report on the protection of unaccompanied and separated children in Belgium. The report describes the current state of affairs and provides policy recommendations to reinforce the protection of this vulnerable category of foreign nationals.

This report provides a quantitative overview of migration in rural areas for the entire EU. It contributes to raising awareness of the poorly studied phenomenon of migration to EU rural areas, which is often neglected in research and policies.

This MPI Europe report explores the various forms of predeparture orientation programs offered by resettlement countries. It focuses on important design questions and identifies a set of features shared by effective programs.

A new report published by the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung shows how attitudes across Europe have changed before and after the 2015 migration ‘crisis’ and tries to explain what has driven those changes. Using data from the European Social Survey, the report’s authors find that, overall, perceptions of migration have remained both neutral and stable before and after the ‘crisis’. But there are a few countries that have become significantly more positive about migrants, as well as a few that have become significantly more negative.

25 (Member) States provided information on inter alia the existence of civic integration policies, whether or not participation in a civic integration programme is compulsory for recognised refugees, and possible sanctions for refusing to follow such a programme. 

This EMN study examines the measures in place in the Member States and Norway to facilitate the integration of third-country nationals on the labour market. The study also identifies good practices from public and private actors.

This final report, realised by the Study and Policy Unit of the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil), describes the reception of vulnerable applicants for international protection with specific needs. It discusses how (field) staff define, identify and respond to vulnerability in practice. The objective is to develop a better understanding of the way in which Fedasil and its reception partners fulfill the requirement of Belgian and European legislation to meet the specific needs of applicants for international protection.