During this discussion on the integration of newcomers in Wallonie, three projects will be examined more closely, namely the CIRÉ desk for newcomers in Ixelles, the regional integration centre in Charleroi and Couleur Cafe in Malmedy.

This Eurostat news release shows that workers remittances amounted to 39.1 billion euro in 2011, up by 2% compared with 2010.

A press release of the national bank of Belgium indicates that the employment rate of persons born in a non-EU country is the lowest of all Member States, namely 45.8 % in 2011.

This recently published information sheet "EU Blue card: Highly qualified workers" provides information on beneficiaries, procedures, statuses, legal basis and appeals in this matter.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council, including the Belgian Ministers Joëlle Milquet and Annemie Turtelboom, and State Secretary Maggie De Block, met on 6 and 7 December 2012. The ministers also discussed issues concerning Immigration and Asylum.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

On Wednesday 5 December in the European Parliament, key stakeholders, including EU Anti-Trafficking Coordinator, Ms Vassiliadou, will comment on the realities of combating trafficking.

A "White Marriages" cell has been created in the Special Laws Division of the Brussels South police area. It has started its activities on 3 december 2012.

On 29th November in Paris, the French NCP organised a conference on the CEAS. The next day there was a EMN-Cluster Meeting on reception conditions for asylum seekers in the EU: "existing mechanisms and good practices”

The 2012 ELENA Advanced Course on the Right of Refugees will take place in Madrid, Spain from 30 November to 2 December. The course is aimed at legal practitioners, decision makers and staff of national asylum authorities.

During this open door day, participants will discover the work of several migrant entrepreneurs, asking practical questions on the development of their projects and future opportunities.

This seminar aims at analyzing the state of play in Belgium in terms of prevention and protection of child victims or at risk of FGM and promoting the thinking about the implementation in Belgium of a protocol for the prevention and protection of such persons.

The article, reveals that family-related migration is the main driver for Belgium’s recent transition to a country of permanent settlement, with significant numbers of foreign-born students, workers, and refugees.

In its letter to partners, CBAR BCHV wants to be informed of decisions and judgements refusing the examination of applications from applicants originating from "safe countries of origin".

This conference takes place within the framework of the project "Awareness raising of the risks associated with irregular migration and support to vocational reintegration of migrants in the Republic of Congo" (2011-2012).

In a strategic Communication adopted today, the Commission examines how the implementation and development of the common visa policy could help growth in the EU by facilitating travel opportunities for third country nationals willing to visit the EU.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) achieved a Political Agreement on the Reception Conditions Directive, discussed recent developments in Syria and council conclusions were endorsed concerning the new EU strategy to combat human trafficking.

This Conference, organised by the EMN CY NCP within the framework of the Cyprus Presidency of the Council of the EU, will support the policymaking process in the field of immigration and international students, notably in the development of the planned review of Council Directive 2004/114/EC.