On 27 January, the Migration Policy Institute organizes a webinar on "European Union Third-Country Partnerships: Where Do We Go From Here?"

Today a new law enters (partly) into force inserting a general residence condition into the Immigration Act. The Immigration Office can now put an end to a residence permit if the person cannot put forward provable integration efforts.

The Passenger Name Record (PNR) law has been adopted in Parliament in December 2016. It was published in the Belgian Official Gazette on 25 January 2017. On the basis of this law, carriers will be obliged to send data on their passengers travelling from, to, or across Belgium to a central database.

Ahead of the meeting of Heads of State or Government in Malta on 3 February 2017, the Commission and the High Representative/Vice-President have set out their contribution to the discussion on how to better manage migration and save lives along the Central Mediterranean route.

Today, the Commission is taking stock of the progress achieved and the work still needed in making the new European Border and Coast Guard Agency fully operational.

This training focuses on residence rights and employment of foreign nationals working for embassies, consulates or international institutions in Belgium.

The Platform on Statelessness of the European Migration Network, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees and the European Network on Statelessness organized the conference "Addressing Statelessness in the European Union, One year on from the adoption of European Council Conclusions". 

According to the Missing Migrants Project, an estimate of 7495 men, women and children migrants or refugees died or were reported missing across five continents in 2016. That is almost 20 victims per day and the number may not include them all.

In 2016, there was a sharp drop in the number of asylum applications in Belgium, and the number of decisions taken by the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons reached an all-time high.

From 1 January to 30 June 2017,  Malta will hold the presidency of the Council of the EU. The presidency will focus on 6 key areas: migration, single market, security, social inclusion, Europe's neighbourhood and maritime sector. 

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.

Syria neighbouring States are increasingly affected by the number of refugees seeking sanctuary within their country. The European Commission is stepping up its assistance to Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to contribute to address Syrian refugees’ needs.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting gathering all EU 28 Justice and Home Affairs national ministers took place on 4 and 5 December 2014. Managing migratory flows, the functioning of the Schengen area and acting on foreign fighters were the main migration related topics discussed.