More background information and state of play can be found here.

After three years of negotiations, the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union have reached an agreement on the core political elements of five key regulations that will thoroughly overhaul the EU's legal framework on asylum and migration. 

Today, Wednesday 12 June, the European Parliament voted the final adoption of the asylum package. The new rules lay down common procedures for handling asylum applications and basic rights for asylum seekers.

Coreper reached an agreement today on the final two legislative texts forming part of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS).

The Justice and Home Affairs Council, including the Belgian Ministers Joëlle Milquet and Annemie Turtelboom, and State Secretary Maggie De Block, met on 6 and 7 December 2012. The ministers also discussed issues concerning Immigration and Asylum.