March 2012: More decissons, less applications

Philippe Fargues, director of the Migration Policy Centre (MPC), presents the different tasks, projects and activities of the new MPC, founded in January 2012, with the support of the European Union.

On March 29th 2012, the Center of European Culture will present a special session of the Belgian College entitled "XXIth century migrations and transformations of planetary relations". Presentation by Catherine Wihtol de Wenden.

A draft bill modifying the Immigration Law and transposing the European Blue Card Directive is approved in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives on March 29, 2012.

This seminar of the Academy of European Law will provide legal practitioners with an in-depth analysis of the relevant legislative measures, the most recent and important developments in jurisprudence and the impact of European human rights instruments on the issue of familiy reunification.

On 23 March 2012 a newsrelease was issued by Eurostat, the statistical office of the Europeon Union, on the number of asylum applicants and asylum decisions in the EU27 in 2011.

At the request of Maggie De Block, Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration, and Didier Reynders, Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Ministerial Council approved list of safe countries of origin.

This International Symposium will explore the ongoing challenges that Europe is facing to increase the practical cooperation between member states, especially in relation to the collection of measurable data on asylum seekers.

On March 20th, Benoit Cerxhe, Liz Collett, Jean-Pierre Garson and different integration experts from both Belgium and Canada will examine integration trends and challenges, as well as case studies and best practices.

The Belgian National Contact Point of the EMN organised its first ‘Round Table on Migration and Asylum Policy’ – an event which brought together key stakeholders to discuss policy developments and challenges.

Belgium responded to the Green paper consultation of the European Commission on the Right to Family Reunification of Third Country Nationals (Directive 2003/86/EC).

Lecturer Raluca Radescu from the CEMIS (Centre for Migration and Intercultural Studies) - Antwerp university, will examine multiculturalism issues, addressing community versus individual rights illustrated by the case study of Roma early marriages in Romania.

The Council adopted a decision which establishes common EU resettlement
priorities for 2013.

On March, 7, 2012, There will be held a European Parliament cross-party hearing on EU Funding on Migration, Integration and Asylum: Testing the added value co-organised by Jean Lambert MEP and the Centre for European Policy Studies.

The Ministers responsible for asylum and migration of Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Sweden and the United Kingdom met in Brussels on 7 March 2012 to discuss measures in the field of combating illegal immigration

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