The Royal Decree of 16 February 2015 determining amounts and practical arrangements for collecting fees for the handling of certain applications for a residence permit has been published today, 20 February 2015.

The report entitled ‘Afghanistan security situation’provides a comprehensive overview of the security situation in Afghanistan, and information relevant for the protection status determination of Afghan asylum seekers.

Organised in the framework of the Made Real Project funded by the European Union, this conference provides a comprehensive understanding of the EU legal framework on alternatives to detention (ATD) for asylum seekers and
migrants.

On 20 January, the Belgian Association for foreigners’ rights organizes a training on the topic “What protection for seriously ill persons following M’Bodj and Abdida case-law?”.

The European Migration Forum – the dialogue platform on migration, asylum and migrant integration – has met for the first time on 26 and 27 January 2015.

The first meeting of the European Migration Forum will take place on 26-27 January 2015 in Brussels. Through a participatory approach and the involvement of civil society organizations, the European Migration Forum will provide a platform for exchanges on migration, asylum and integration issues.

The European law and migration team (EDEM) of the Catholic University of Louvain has published its newsletter that analyses recent asylum case law.

On the occasion of the European Parliament plenary session of 13 January 2015, Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos spoke on human smuggling in the Mediterranean and the needed reaction of the EU

In a press release published on 6 January 2015, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons has announced that the number of people in need of protection and being recognized the refugee status has greatly increased in 2014

As from today, foreigners have to pay a fee for introducing certain applications for a residence permit in Belgium with a view to covering administrative costs relating to the processing of such applications.

In the first half of 2015 Latvia will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Presidency will focus on the implementation of the Strategic Guidelines in the area of freedom, security and justice (June 2014), as well as on the respective follow-up initiatives.

18 December is the International Migrants Day. On 18 December 2014, the Federal Migration Center organized pedagogical and interactive activities while several labour unions and civil society organizations called for more rights for labour migrants

Under the Italian Presidency of the European Union a two days conference on European Migration Policy and Integration is organized in Rome on 17-18 December 2014.

Today the European Commission adopted its Work Programme for 2015 – setting out the actions the Commission intends to take over the next 12 months to make a real difference for jobs, growth and investment and bring concrete benefits for citizens.

The last update of reference amounts for the crossing of the external borders has been published in the EU Official Journal on 13 December 2014. Belgium’s requirements are outlined.

This conference will allow the general public to learn and discuss the findings of the CONTENTION project which examines the different dimensions of the lawfulness of detention with differing practices and differing forms of implementation at national and European level.

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.

As part of the implementation of the government agreement of October 2014 as well as of the new reception scheme, the reduction of available reception places for asylum seekers has been approved by the Council of Ministers of 11 December 2014.