The blue card was introduced to improve the EU's ability to attract highly qualified workers from third countries. Background information and state of play can be found here.

This annual conference aims to tackle the current challenges for the EU in developing a coherent legal framework in the field of labour migration and to provide practitioners with an update on the legal rules applicable to labour migrants.

On 10 September 2012 the Belgian legislation transposing the Blue Card Directive(2009/50/EC) entered into force. The Blue Card Directive itself was adopted on 25 May 2009 to create a “European Blue Card” for highly qualified third-country nationals.

A draft bill modifying the Immigration Law and transposing the European Blue Card Directive is approved in the Belgian Chamber of Representatives on March 29, 2012.