Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council (JHA) achieved a Political Agreement on the Reception Conditions Directive, discussed recent developments in Syria and council conclusions were endorsed concerning the new EU strategy to combat human trafficking.

The Belgian Chamber of Representatives approved a proposition to tighten the conditions for acquiring the Belgian nationality. When the draft becomes law (probably on 1 January 2013), there will be integration requirements to acquire the Belgian nationality.

On 23 October, Maggie De Block answered many questions inter alia related to the European platform for the repatriation of unaccompanied minors (ERPUM).

Today, thanks to the Charles Ullens Price, the President of the King Baudouin Foundation, Ms Françoise Tulkens, rewarded the work of six young researchers on various challenges related to migration and integration.

The October edition of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) newsletter has been published. EASO has also recently published its work programme for 2013.

The latest statistics on asylum applications lodged in industrialized countries have been published today. The data covers the first half of 2012 in comparison to the first half of 2011.

Following a selection procedure, the Steering Board members of the European Migration Network approved four study topics to be addressed in 2013

The Belgian Council of Ministers decided to provide a subsidy to finance prefabricated schools in Syrian refugee camps in Turkey. The assistance is provided in the framework of the policy on conflict prevention of Foreign Affairs.

Maggie De Block, State Secretary for Asylum and Migration Policy, Social Integration and the Fight against Poverty, together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Justice, proposed to the Council of Ministers to modify the concerned legislation.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.

In its latest annual report, published today, the Council of Europe’s anti-trafficking watchdog GRETA (Group of experts on action against trafficking in human beings) urges countries across the continent to step up the fight against human trafficking.

In today's Chamber Judgement in the case Singh and Others v. Belgium which is not final, the European Court of Human Rights held that there had been a violation of Article 13 (right to effective remedy) taken together with Article 3 (inhuman or degarding treatment) of the ECHR.

On 28 September 2012 a call for proposals was published in the Belgian Official Gazette, making available resources provided for voluntary return in the annual program 2012.

Today in a report on the situation of unaccompanied minors in the EU, the Commission calls for improved efforts at both national and European level to respond effectively and in full respect of the rights of the child to this complex transnational challenge.

The EMN glossary, a useful tool to improve the use of common definitions on migration and asylum has been translated into French. This version was accomplished through narrow cooperation of the EMN national contact points of Belgium, France and Luxemburg.

According Regulation (EC) No 862/2007, the Commission is required to submit this first report to the European Parliament
and the Council with a view to examining the dgree of progress in the implementation of the above Regulation.

Asylum seekers in the EU would be better protected, and would not be transferred to EU countries where there is a risk of inhuman or degrading treatment, under changes to EU asylum legislation endorsed by the Civil Liberties Committee.

The European Parliament's Committee on Civil Liberties (LIBE) gave the green light to an agreement to recast the Reception Conditions Directive.

Responding to information needs and increasing responsiveness to policy makers needs, is the key EMN objective for 2013. The EMN also aims at further informing media and public debates on asylum and immigration.

The new website has been created to provide updated information on South-South migration to migration experts, practitioners and the general public.

GFMD 2012 will focus on "Enhancing the Human Development of Migrants and their Contribution to the Development of Communities and States". A provisional agenda (as of 3 September 2012) was presented at the High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration on 13 September.

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.

In its September newsletter, ADDE provides information on the return path, legislative changes with regard to the aliens law, the EU blue card and reception related issues, recent caselaw from the ECHR, the Aliens Litigation Council as well as recent articles and forthcoming events.

Every month, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless persons (CGRS) publishes a document providing the statistics on asylum applications and first instance decisions.