26 October 2017
On the 26th of October 2017 the general policy note on asylum and migration of the State Secretary for Asylum and Migration was published. The policy note provides an overview of the main achievements and priorities in the field of asylum and migration.
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05 October 2017
Today, the Belgian National Contact Point of the European Migration Network organized an event in Brussels to discuss the irregular employment of third country nationals.
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Main Theme: Economic migration, Irregular Migration, Return & Readmission
Keywords: illegal employment, migrant worker
04 October 2017
Today a new law was published on the fight against false declarations of parenthood. The Law of 19 September 2017 modifies the Civil Code, the Immigration Law, the Judicial Code and the Consular Code, and it includes preventive and repressive measures.
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Main Theme: Family reunification
Keywords: False declaration of parenthood, marriage of convenience
04 October 2017
In the summer of 2017, more and more transit migrants, who wish to go to the UK, were staying in the Maximilian park in Brussels. The Belgian government did not want this park to become ‘a new Calais’. A number of transit migrants were intercepted and detained. Because a lot of them were presumed Sudanese, a Sudanese delegation was invited to come to Belgium for identification. Left-wing politicians and NGOs stressed that the Sudanese regime’s human rights record is particularly worrying. Campaigns were organised to better inform the transit migrants. On 04.10.2017 these issues were debated in the Belgian Parliament.
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Main Theme: Irregular Migration
Keywords: transit migrants, transit migration
27 September 2017
The European Commission published a mid-term review of what has been achieved so far in delivering the European Agenda on Migration. It also sets out new initiatives from the Commission to address key areas, and identifies where further efforts are needed in the coming months.
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27 September 2017
In order to preserve and strengthen the Schengen area, the Commission is proposing to update the Schengen Borders Code to adapt the rules for the reintroduction of temporary internal border controls to the current needs to respond to evolving and persistent serious threats to public policy or internal security.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen
22 September 2017
In the framework of the Estonian Presidency of the Council, the Estonian Contact Point of the EMN organized the annual EMN conference on 21 and 22 september in Tallinn. The event gathered key stakeholders who discussed good practices and challenges in attracting and retaining talents in the EU and in the Member States.
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Main Theme: Economic migration
Keywords: EMN Annual Conference, Estonia, talent
13 September 2017
Today, President Jean-Claude Juncker presented next steps towards a stronger, more effective and fairer EU migration and asylum policy.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: State of the Union
06 September 2017
The judgment in joined cases C-643/15 and C-647/15 Slovakia and Hungary v Council has been delivered by the Court, calling Member States to respect the emergency relocation scheme for refugees, initiated by the EU at the height of the migration crisis
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Main Theme: International Protection
Keywords: solidarity, relocation
01 September 2017
The International Organization for Migration (IOM), published data on recent arrivals in Europe. Compared with the 273,000 migrants who landed from January through Aug. 27, 2016, about 121,000 arrived during the same period this year. Furthermore, there was no evidence of any migrant dying in the Mediterranean since Aug. 9
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Main Theme: Data & Statistics, International Protection, Borders & Visa, Irregular Migration, Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: Central Mediterranean route
29 August 2017
The State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration Theo Francken and the Walloon Minister for Employment have signed on 29 August a collaboration agreement intended to foster the socio-professional insertion of asylum seekers.
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Main Theme: Integration, Reception
Keywords: employment
28 July 2017
Following up on the Commission's Action Plan to support Italy from 4 July, the EU Trust Fund for Africa adopted today a programme worth €46 million to reinforce the integrated migration and border management capacities of the Libyan authorities.
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Main Theme: External Dimension, Borders & Visa, Irregular Migration
Keywords: EU Trust Fund for Africa, Libya, border management
27 July 2017
Today, the European Commission has announced a new wave of emergency support projects to help refugees in Greece.
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Main Theme: International Protection
Keywords: Greece
13 July 2017
Today, the European Commission decided to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to fully implement the Single Permit Directive (Directive 2011/98/EU). Designed to facilitate legal migration, the Directive introduces simplified procedures and a common set of rights for non-EU workers.
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Main Theme: Economic migration
Keywords: single permit directive, Court of Justice of the European Union
06 July 2017
The return of irregular migrants is one of the main pillars of the EU’s policy on migration and asylum. In this light the EMN will conduct in 2017 a study on ‘The effectiveness of return in EU Member States: challenges and good practices linked to EU rules and standards‘. The synthesis report of this study is expected to be published at the end of 2017. The Belgian national report will probably be published at the beginning of 2018.
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Main Theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: return
05 July 2017
Today, EASO presented its yearly reference report summarizing key developments that took place in the asylum field in the EU+ in 2016 as well as some more recent data of 2017. The launching of the annual report 2016 brought together a large audience, including journalists.
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Main Theme: International Protection
Keywords: EASO annual report
04 July 2017
Today the Commission proposes an action plan to support Italy, reduce pressure and increase solidarity along the Central Mediterranean Route.
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Main Theme: Migration
Keywords: Central Mediterranean route, solidarity
30 June 2017
Today, the restricted Council of Ministers has approved the proposal of the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration to create a single registration centre for asylum seekers in Neder-Over-Heembeek.
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Main Theme: Reception
Keywords: registration centre
23 June 2017
A tribunal in Brussels sentenced eight persons to suspended 15-month prison sentences and a €165,000 fine for trafficking in human beings and degrading treatment.
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Main Theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
20 June 2017
On the occasion of the United Nations' World Refugee Day, the European Commission is today releasing the 'EU Skills Profile Tool for Third-Country Nationals'. The tool is meant to support early identification of the skills of refugees, migrants and other third country nationals
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: EU Skills Profile Tool, migrants' skills
12 June 2017
Today, the Belgian Louise-Marie frigate departed from the port of Zeebrugge, starting its deployment in the Mediterranean sea in the framework of the EUNAVFOR MED – Sophia operation. The deployment will last until 28 July.
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Main Theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: EUNAVFOR MED, Sophia, frégate
11 June 2017
As from today Ukrainian citizens holding biometric passports can travel to the Schengen Zone without a visa for a period of 90 days within any 180-day period for purposes other than working.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: visa-free travel
09 June 2017
Justice and Home Affairs Ministers met on 8 and 9 June 2017. Home Affairs issues included the reform of the CEAS, European travel information and authorisation systems, Schengen information system, Information systems interoperability and return policy. The protection of children in migration was also put forward.
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Main Theme: Asylum, Migration
Keywords: Justice and Home Affairs Council
31 May 2017
Today, the Belgian State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs signed a letter of intent to increase the cooperation of the two countries regarding monitoring beneficiaries of international protection who travel to their countries of origin.
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Main Theme: International Protection
Keywords: Letter of intent, Germany, cooperation
30 May 2017
An ordinance of the Joint Community Commission of Brussels - which was published in the Belgian Gazette today - establishes a mandatory integration programme for newcomers in Brussels.