Poland will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of June 2025. Its programme focuses on strengthening European security in its many dimensions. In the field of justice and home affairs, Poland aims inter alia to counter the instrumentalisation of migration by Russia and Belarus.

From 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2026, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) will support Belgium to increase the capacities of the national asylum and reception authorities. Asylum support teams will be deployed to support the registration and processing of cases as well as the design, update and implementation of specific systems and tools. 

The selected migrant integration indicators allow monitoring of the Commission’s actions defined in the Action plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 in relation to education and training, employment opportunities and skills recognition, as well as access to health services, and adequate and affordable housing. 

The Commission is proposing two new Regulations to strengthen the use of advanced passenger information. The new rules, that will replace the 2004 API Directive, will enhance external border controls and the fight against serious crime and terrorism within the EU.

The EMN Member Countries have voted on the topics which will be analyzed in studies and informs in 2023. In line with the targets outlined in the 2023-2025 work programme of the EMN, 3 new studies and 10 new informs will be published next year.

During the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 8-9 December 2022, Ministers highlighted the need to address the external dimension of migration in a comprehensive manner, taking into account all routes and making joint or complementary efforts where possible.

The Conference allowed participants to gain insight into legal provisions against labour exploitation and to examine the role of different actors in upholding the rights of foreign workers. Good practices and lessons learnt from selected countries were presented and discussed.

During the High Level Forum to protection and resettlement cooperation, 16 EU Member States pledged more than 29.000 places for resettlement and humanitarian admission for 2023, including continued and expanded support to Afghans in need of protection.

How to guide migrant women towards integration services and the labour market more effectively? The conference of EMN Finland will tackle the challenges related to employment of migrant women. Solutions will be sought from best practices in Finland and abroad.

Are you interested in labour mobility schemes between Africa and Europe? For the last three years, the MATCH project has been piloting circular migration schemes between two African countries (Senegal and Nigeria) and four European countries (Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy). 

Join the closing conference for more information about lessons learned and the way forward for this project.
 

The Court of Justice of the European Union interpreted Article 2(f) and Article 10(3)(a) of the Family Reunification Directive in its decision from 17 November 2022 in the case X v Belgium. An unaccompanied refugee minor residing in a Member State does not have to be unmarried to enjoy the right to family reunification with first-degree relatives in direct ascending line.

On 15 and 16 November 2022, EMN Belgium welcomed over 20 enthusiastic young people from a variety of backgrounds at its EMN Migration Youth Event. Over the course of two days, they were submerged in a programme focusing on both the theory and the practice of asylum and migration policy in Belgium and the European Union.

In the Chamber of Representatives today, Nicole de Moor presented the main lines of its policy on asylum and migration. Despite the many current challenges, the State Secretary intends to carry out reforms in this field.