Publication date: 23 July 2025
When countries outside the EU encourage or organise the movement of migrants to put pressure on the Union or its Member States, this is called the instrumentalisation of migration. This position paper from the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) explains what this means, why it matters, and how the EU can respond. It highlights the need to balance measures against political manipulation with the obligation to respect people’s fundamental rights. The paper warns that some responses risk undermining the right to asylum and other protections at the EU’s external borders.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: instrumentalisation, migrant, refugee, fundamental right
Publication date: 16 July 2025
This EMN study examines how 25 countries address the international dimension of human trafficking, encompassing prevention, law enforcement, victim support, and international partnerships. It presents national approaches, good practices and persistent challenges, both within EMN countries and in cooperation with third countries. Readers will find examples of institutional cooperation, capacity-building efforts, and initiatives targeting specific regions or groups. The study also highlights how recent EU policy developments are shaping national anti-trafficking strategies.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: trafficking victim, non-EU national, anti-trafficking strategy, international dimension
Publication date: 09 July 2025
The European Migration Network's Asylum and Migration Overview (AMO) 2024 provides an overview of legal and policy developments at both EU and national levels, covering various migration and asylum topics, complemented by Eurostat statistics and national data, for the period January to December 2024.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Annual Policy Reports
Keywords: annual report
Publication date: 10 June 2025
The Fundamental Rights Report 2025 provides an overview of the state of fundamental rights in the EU, highlighting key developments and trends observed in 2024. The report includes a dedicated section on ‘Migration and asylum at the EU’s external borders’, which addresses, among other issues, challenges related to search and rescue operations, incidents of ill-treatment and rights violations at borders, concerns about border procedures under the New Pact, and fundamental rights risks associated with proposed return policies.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: fundamental rights, external border, rights violations, ill-treatment, New Pact on Migration and Asylum, border procedure, monitoring mechanism, return hub
Publication date: 01 June 2025
This research paper introduces the "IRMIGRIGHT", the first bespoke database of social and labour rights of irregularly staying migrants in twenty-eight European countries. A number of findings emerge from the data analysis, including the fact that, on average, irregularly staying migrants have significantly weaker social rights than labour rights.
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Main theme: Irregular Migration
Publication Type: Study
Keywords: irregularly staying third-country national, social right, labour right
Publication date: 20 May 2025
In its annual report, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGRS) provides a comprehensive overview of asylum figures for 2024, along with key internal developments and initiatives aimed at improving efficiency and decision-making. The report also addresses upcoming procedural changes, international cooperation efforts, new competences related to statelessness and vulnerable applicants, staffing and organisational improvements, and clarifications on operational and budgetary resources.
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Main theme: International Protection
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: CGRS, annual report, asylum figures, asylum decisions
Publication date: 13 May 2025
This EMN Inform maps how EMN Member Countries organise their first instance appeals procedures and examine operational changes implemented between 2018 and 2024. It delivers a comprehensive comparative analysis, reflecting on procedural safeguards, key challenges, and good practices observed across the EU.
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Main theme: Vulnerable groups, International Protection
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: right to an effective remedy, asylum procedure, procedure for international protection, first instance, appeal procedure, time limit, suspensive effect, procedural guarantee
Publication date: 12 May 2025
This JRC Science for Policy report provides a comprehensive understanding of migration narratives and their impact on public perception and policy. It seeks to equip policymakers and communication professionals with the insights and tools needed to navigate the complex landscape of migration narratives and promote a more nuanced and evidence-based understanding of migration in a political context often tainted by misinformation and divisive rhetoric.
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Main theme: Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: migration narrative, public perception, disinformation, evidence-based communication, polarisation
Publication date: 12 May 2025
This EMNews, the quarterly newsletter of the European Migration Network (EMN), offers an overview of EU and national developments in asylum and migration policy, as well as key statistics and related EMN publications for the period of January-March 2025.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: EMNews
Keywords: EMN, Newsletter, EMNews
Publication date: 01 May 2025
The 2025 SIRIUS Migrant Education Policy Index introduces a novel framework for evaluating inclusive education policies across 15 EU Member States. Structured around seven key dimensions, the Index highlights existing disparities and effective practices in supporting migrant learners. It underscores the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure equitable and high-quality education for all students, regardless of migration background. The report advocates for a learner-centred approach prioritising structural flexibility, cultural and linguistic inclusion, and coordinated policy interventions.
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Main theme: Integration, Study § Training
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: education policy, Migrant education, migrant student, undocumented student
Publication date: 11 March 2025
This joint EMN-OECD Inform presents an overview of the different approaches to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, and subsequent adaptation of migration strategies in EMN Member and Observer Countries and non-EU OECD Countries. The Inform also provides some examples of common challenges and good practices in developing and implementing migration strategies.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: migration strategy, design, duration, implementation, dissemination, monitoring, evaluation
Improving the Economic Migration Framework to Attract and Retain Qualified Talent in Flanders (OECD)
Publication date: 01 March 2025
This report provides a diagnosis of the strengths and weaknesses of the Flemish framework for management of economic migration and recommendations for possible areas of reform. The report also presents some of the first empirical analyses of retention and outcomes of economic migrants in Flanders.
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Main theme: Integration, Economic migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: talent attraction, talent retention, skilled workers, activation policy, single permit, posted worker, shortage occupation
Publication date: 27 February 2025
This joint European Migration Network (EMN) – OECD (Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development) Inform provides an overview of innovative initiatives to attract foreign talent between January 2021 and March 2024 by EMN Member Countries and selected non-EU OECD member countries. It also analyses whether and how EMN Member Countries monitor the effectiveness of these initiatives and identify related challenges and good practices.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: talent mobility, foreign workers, skill development, talent partnership, talent attraction
Publication date: 19 February 2025
This European Migration Network (EMN) study documents the illegal employment of third-country nationals in EMN Member Countries between 2017-2022. It includes an up-to-date analysis of key legislative and policy frameworks and practices to prevent, identify and tackle the illegal employment of third-country nationals, including beneficiaries of temporary protection. It also provides examples of challenges and good practices.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: illegal employment, third country national, migrant worker, sanction, labour inspection
Publication date: 11 February 2025
This EMNews (used to be named Quarterly or Bulletin) of the European Migration Network (EMN) offers an overview of EU and national developments in asylum and migration policy as well as an overview of key statistics, plus related EMN publications for the period October-December 2024.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: EMNews
Publication date: 16 January 2025
In this annual forecast, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) outlines the 10 migration issues that can shape international migration in 2025. The search for "innovative solutions" to irregular migration and a European Union focusing on return are among the points of attention.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: migration outlook, annual forecast, ICMPD
Publication date: 20 December 2024
This Inform provides information on current national legislation and practices for the collection and processing of biometric data of third-country nationals in 24 EMN Member Countries and three EMN Observer Countries (Norway, Serbia and Ukraine) in accordance with national and European law requirements.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: biometric data, data collection, processing, age limit, non-discrimination, transfer
Publication date: 18 December 2024
Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Latin American Sex Work: A Risky Carousel" on 18 December 2024. Myria draws attention to the phenomenon of Latin American sex work and calls for adapting the fight against trafficking to the new realities linked to the digital world.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: sex worker, Latin America, criminal network, social network
Publication date: 26 November 2024
The European Migration Network (EMN) study looks at whether EMN Member Countries implemented any changes in the application of the Temporary Protection Directive (TPD) in 2023 (as compared to 2022) and also aims to identify continued challenges, as well as good practices.
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Main theme: Temporary protection
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: Temporary Protection Directive, beneficiary of temporary protection, residence permit, access to rights, vulnerability
Publication date: 21 November 2024
This manual, aimed at both workplace inspection staff and trainers, intends to empower them to enforce the protective standards in EU law that safeguard the rights of third-country workers, including seasonal workers, migrant workers with temporary permits and migrants in an irregular situation.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: labour inspection, labour exploitation, migrant worker
Publication date: 15 November 2024
This Inform by the European Migration Network (EMN), in collaboration with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), sheds light on the role of migration diplomacy in fostering international cooperation for effective migration management. It highlights the diplomatic tools, practices, and challenges involved in migration diplomacy across EMN Member and Observer countries with examples from OECD countries.
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Main theme: External Dimension
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: migration diplomacy, migration management, bilateral agreements, partnership
Publication date: 14 November 2024
The 2024 edition of International Migration Outlook analyses recent developments in migration movements and the labour market inclusion of immigrants in OECD countries. It also monitors recent policy changes in migration governance and integration in OECD countries. This 48th edition includes one special chapter on migrant entrepreneurship. The Outlook also includes country notes and a detailed statistical annex.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: international migration trend, labour market integration
Publication date: 01 November 2024
This inform provides insights into the governance and processes of accommodation for applicants for international protection in EMN Member and Observer Countries. This governance of accommodation is crucial for responding to challenges, such as fluctuating asylum applications, limited housing capacity, and community relations.
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Main theme: Reception
Publication Type: Informs
Keywords: reception centre, reception facility, accommodation, applicant for international protection
Publication date: 01 November 2024
This country report for Belgium prepared in the frame of the POSTING.STAT 2.0 project, examines the characteristics, the scale, and the impact of intra-EU posting from and to Belgium as well as the characteristics and the scale of infringements which are related to it.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: labour mobility, posted worker, investigation, infringement
Publication date: 31 October 2024
This EMNews (used to be named Quarterly or Bulletin) of the European Migration Network (EMN) offers an overview of EU and national developments in asylum and migration policy as well as an overview of key statistics, plus related EMN publications for the period July-September 2024.
