The public consultation for the Internal Security Fund - Borders and Visa (ISF BV) ex-post evaluation for 2014-2020 aims to strengthen the evidence base of the evaluation by gathering the views of all relevant stakeholders for the ISF BV programme. You can contribute to this consultation by filling in an online questionnaire before 21 November 2024.

The Federal Public Service Justice is currently able to assign a guardian to an unaccompanied foreign minor within the normal period of 8 weeks. However, the demand for guardians remains high in Limburg, Antwerp and Brussels, and the Guardianship Service is still urgently looking for additional guardians.

The Federal Institute for Human Rights launched an investigation into "the growing tendency of Belgian authorities not to implement court decisions that condemn them", inter alia regarding the reception of applicants for international protection. The report following the investigation will be sent to the Chamber of Representatives.

18 November marks the European Day on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse. Children are the most vulnerable group in society and children who are migrating, especially if unaccompanied, face an increased risk of being subjected to violence, including sexual violence, exploitation, and human trafficking.

This conference is dedicated to exploring how to maximize the benefits of external cooperation in the field of migration. A wide range of national and international experts, including policymakers from EU and non-EU countries, practitioners and researchers, will engage in discussions around the challenges and components of effective migration partnerships, exploring opportunities for balanced as well as comprehensive cooperation and innovative approaches.

Researchers, civil servants, journalists, teachers, and professionals from intergovernmental and governmental agencies working in migration-related areas are encouraged to apply for the 2nd Migration Winter Academy, taking place from 3-7 February 2025, in Florence, Italy. Through expert-led sessions and interactive discussions, the course will delve into public attitudes toward migration, migrant decision-making, and the development of migration policies. 

The latest International Migration Outlook 2024 includes a special focus on immigrant entrepreneurship. It highlights that migrants represent a growing share of total entrepreneurs in OECD countries. In 2022, 17% of the self-employed in OECD countries on average were migrants, up from 11% in 2006.

A man suspected of running an operation that supplied small boats and engines to human smugglers who were active in Belgium and northern France was arrested in the Netherlands. The 44-year-old Turkish national faces extradition to Belgium to face charges of human smuggling in the context of the activities of a criminal organisation.

According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 4.048 persons obtained Belgian nationality in August 2024. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in August are Morocco, Romania, Syria, Italy and France.

Fedasil announced that the Belgian reception network has now a higher capacity than that recorded during the asylum crisis of 2015-2016. However, this capacity is insufficient to accommodate all applicants for international protection who are entitled to reception. At present, 2.650 single men are still on the waiting list for a reception place.

In view of the current preparation of the National Implementation Plans due by December 2024, EMN Greece aims to facilitate a stimulating discussion and interesting exchange of views on the implementation of the new Pact on Migration and Asylum during its national conference 2024. 

Eurostat released data on unaccompanied minors granted temporary protection in 21 EU Member States and all EFTA countries between March 2022 and September 2024. Austria, the Netherlands and Lithuania have granted the most temporary protection statuses, in absolute terms, to unaccompanied minors since March 2022. Belgium has granted temporary protection status to 1600 unaccompanied minors during the same period.

The High-Level Committee on Resettlement and Humanitarian Admission held its first meeting on 7 November 2024. It will help the Commission define the EU’s two-year Plan that will determine the number of refugees to be admitted to the EU, and the countries and regions from which resettlements and humanitarian admissions should take place. 

On 5 November, the LIBE Committee questioned Magnus Brunner, the Austrian candidate for the Internal Affairs and Migration portfolio. Brunner committed to speeding up the implementation of some elements of the New Pact on Migration and Asylum and showed himself open to considering new ideas to complement it. He also announced that he would table a new Return Directive and strengthen legal pathways to attract the skills that EU labour markets need. 

This conference aims to present the first results of a Fedasil-funded mentoring-to-work project for highly skilled asylum seekers. It will discuss the challenges and opportunities of using mentoring as a pre-integration tool for asylum seekers. It will also explore the added value of mentoring for those who receive a positive decision and the challenges that arise from working with status holders.

This capacity-building workshop, organised jointly by EMN Luxembourg and the Prague Process, aims to explore the current state of forecasting migration and asylum flows, address existing challenges, and consider the future of forecasting in migration management. Additionally, the workshop will showcase the latest technological advancements in migration, asylum, and data-driven societies and discuss prospects for their implementation in national and regional contexts.

Fedasil announced that it can temporarily make use of centres in Bredene (Flanders) and in Theux (Wallonia) to accommodate applicants for international protection until March 2025. Both sites have already been used by Fedasil in the past, each time for a period of a few months. 

France notified that controls would take place at its borders with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, the Swiss Confederation, Italy, and Spain (land, air, and sea) from 1 November 2024 until 30 April 2024. Similar checks were already underway between 1 May 2024 and 31 October 2024 due to the Olympic and Paralympic Games organised in France during the summer 2024. 

From 2014 to 2023, Esperanto provided shelter and support to 156 foreign minors victims of human trafficking and/or aggravated smuggling. According to Myria, who analysed the figures, just over half of these 156 young people were victims of sexual exploitation or were forced to commit criminal acts.

Nicole de Moor said that applications relating to 859 persons have already been processed in accelerated procedure since February 2024. In 96 % of cases, applicants were not granted protection status. Ms de Moor wants to focus more on prevention to prevent people who do not need protection from applying for international protection in Belgium.