On 25 March 2015 the European Commission has approved 22 new multiannual national programmes under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) and the Internal Security Fund (ISF) for the period 2014-2020, worth together approximately €1.8 billion.

This News Release covers main trends on asylum applications and first instance decisions on asylum applications for the complete 2014 year in the EU28+EFTA region.

The Annual Conference of the European Migration Network was held on March 19 and 20. It aimed to provide a global context for the ‘competition for talent’ as well as the practical responses that Member States have developed to ensure that their skills needs can be identified and met.

The Joint Operational Team (JOT) Mare, a new initiative aiming to tackle the organised criminal groups who are facilitating the journeys of migrants by ships across the Mediterranean Sea to the European Union, has been launched today.

On Sunday, 15 March the project on Smart Borders Pilot reached the next milestone - the execution phase – in Lisbon Airport, Portugal.

During the meeting of the Home Affairs Council, Ministers discussed migratory pressures, and in particular the situation in the central Mediterranean, as well as increasing trends in asylum applications from Western Balkans countries and in particular Kosovo.

The College of Commissioners held a first orientation debate setting out the four main areas where actions are envisaged in the European Agenda on Migration.

The Royal Decree of 16 February 2015 determining amounts and practical arrangements for collecting fees for the handling of certain applications for a residence permit has been published today, 20 February 2015.

The report entitled ‘Afghanistan security situation’provides a comprehensive overview of the security situation in Afghanistan, and information relevant for the protection status determination of Afghan asylum seekers.

The European Migration Forum – the dialogue platform on migration, asylum and migrant integration – has met for the first time on 26 and 27 January 2015.

The European law and migration team (EDEM) of the Catholic University of Louvain has published its newsletter that analyses recent asylum case law.

On the occasion of the European Parliament plenary session of 13 January 2015, Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos spoke on human smuggling in the Mediterranean and the needed reaction of the EU

In a press release published on 6 January 2015, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons has announced that the number of people in need of protection and being recognized the refugee status has greatly increased in 2014

As from today, foreigners have to pay a fee for introducing certain applications for a residence permit in Belgium with a view to covering administrative costs relating to the processing of such applications.

In the first half of 2015 Latvia will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Presidency will focus on the implementation of the Strategic Guidelines in the area of freedom, security and justice (June 2014), as well as on the respective follow-up initiatives.

Today the European Commission adopted its Work Programme for 2015 – setting out the actions the Commission intends to take over the next 12 months to make a real difference for jobs, growth and investment and bring concrete benefits for citizens.

The last update of reference amounts for the crossing of the external borders has been published in the EU Official Journal on 13 December 2014. Belgium’s requirements are outlined.

The Foreign affairs (development) Council meeting of 12 December 2014 has adopted a number of conclusions in the field of migration and development cooperation emphasizing the positive migration and development circle and orientations to strengthen this relation.

As part of the implementation of the government agreement of October 2014 as well as of the new reception scheme, the reduction of available reception places for asylum seekers has been approved by the Council of Ministers of 11 December 2014.

Syria neighbouring States are increasingly affected by the number of refugees seeking sanctuary within their country. The European Commission is stepping up its assistance to Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to contribute to address Syrian refugees’ needs.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting gathering all EU 28 Justice and Home Affairs national ministers took place on 4 and 5 December 2014. Managing migratory flows, the functioning of the Schengen area and acting on foreign fighters were the main migration related topics discussed.

On 4 December 2014, 22 Syrian refugees landed in Belgium for resettlement. 53 more are expected to arrive by the end of the year. Further resettlements of Syrian refugees are planned in 2015.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued a case-law in relation to international protection and protection of human rights in the case of alleged persecutions because of an applicant's sexual orientation.

Eurostat has released available data on asylum applicants and first instance decisions on asylum applications in the European Union in the third quarter of 2014

On 28 November 2014, the new State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration, Theo Francken, delivered the general policy note defining the main orientations and actions in the field of asylum and migration.