14 March 2023
Today, the Commission adopted a Communication that presents the strategic framework for European integrated border management (EIBM) for 5 years and a Recommendation to Member States on the mutual recognition of return decisions and expediting returns.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: European integrated border management, return decision, border control, fundamental rights
13 March 2023
The meeting put institutional stakeholders and the private sector around the table, to exchange experiences and knowledge regarding the future EU Talent Pool and other databases.
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Main Theme: Integration
Keywords: talent, Ukraine, labour market integration
10 March 2023
The Justice and Home Affairs Council took place in Brussels on 9 and 10 March 2023. Ministers inter alia discussed the internal and external aspects of migration and the overall state of the Schengen area.
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Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: Council of the European Union, Schengen area, visa policy
10 March 2023
In the first two months of 2023, the number of irregular border crossings reported by national authorities increased to 28 130, roughly in line with the same period last year. The Central Mediterranean and Western Balkan routes remain the most active.
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Main Theme: Irregular Migration
Keywords: irregular border crossing, Central Mediterranean route, Western Balkans route
09 March 2023
The first package of reforms contains several measures. Nicole De Moor said in a statement that, according to the texts to be discussed in Parliament, reception places will be allocated to those in an ongoing asylum procedure, cooperation on return will be enshrined in law and abuses in family reunification will be combated. Finally, a solution will be offered to vulnerable persons in specific situations such as statelessness.
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Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: reform
08 March 2023
This Communication takes stock of the Directive's implementation over the last year, draws the lessons learned and identifies priority areas where continued efforts are needed.
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Main Theme: Asylum
Keywords: Temporary Protection Directive, Ukraine
07 March 2023
Today the upgraded Schengen Information System (SIS) enters into operation to enhance security and border management in Europe. The renewed SIS is being enhanced to include new categories of alerts, biometrics such as palm prints, fingermarks, and DNA records for missing persons, and additional tools to combat crime and terrorism.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen Information System, border management
07 March 2023
On Tuesday 7 March, the Belgian Contact Point of the EMN discussed current information needs with the Cabinet of Nicole de Moor to make EMN resources available to policymakers.
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Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: information exchange, policymaking
01 March 2023
In the House of Representatives today, Nicole de Moor responded to numerous questions regarding possible fraudulent cases of applications for single permits. All involved actors, including the Flemish Region, the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs and the Immigration Office, are now part of a working group to foster information exchange and avoid future abuses.
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Main Theme: Economic migration
Keywords: single permit, fraud
27 February 2023
The European Migration Network (EMN) Glossary is an essential resource, which offers an EU-wide multidisciplinary vocabulary of approximately 500 terms and concepts related to asylum and migration. Let's focus today on the term "displaced person" to make sure we have a common understanding and use of the term!
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Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: glossary, displaced person
27 February 2023
Today, EMN Belgium was invited by Hogeschool Gent to present the learning tool "Destination Europe" to a group of 45 Bachelor students. The role plays engaged them in real-life scenarios of decision making around migration and integration.
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Main Theme: Cross-sectional
Keywords: Destination Europe, migration decision
24 February 2023
The 2nd European Border Managament Conference was held in Athens on 23 and 24 February 2023. Participating Member States inter alia underlined the importance of effective control of EU's external borders and required legal, financial, operational and technical measures as well as a whole-of-the-route approach to ensure this.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: border control, border management
22 February 2023
During a press conference at the maritime police in Ostend, the Minister of Justice, Vincent Van Quickenborne, said that the strong approach towards human smugglers has led to a 90% drop in transit migrants to the UK.
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Main Theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Keywords: transit migrants, transit migration
22 February 2023
New analysis released by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) estimates that, in 2022, around 966 000 applications for asylum were lodged in EU+ countries. The largest applicant groups were Syrians, Afghans and Turks, but applications were also high for a wide range of other nationalities.
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Main Theme: Asylum
Keywords: asylum applications, asylum decisions
22 February 2023
From this Wednesday, the three organizations offer immediate hosting in a building located in Anderlecht to applicants who will later be referred to a reception center from Fedasil.
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Main Theme: Reception
Keywords: reception crisis, reception centre
14 February 2023
Flemish Minister for Home affairs, Administrative affairs, Civic integration and Equal opportunities, Bart Somers, wants newcomers to succeed in 9 out of 11 questions about the Belgian fundamental values.
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Main Theme: Integration
Keywords: Integration path, integration exam
10 February 2023
In 2022, 2,673 persons voluntarily returned to their country of origin. The number is higher than before the corona period, when 2,426 persons returned voluntarily in 2019.
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Main Theme: Return & Readmission
Keywords: voluntary return, forced return
10 February 2023
People affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria who wish to travel to Belgium to receive support from their families will have their visa application handled faster.
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Main Theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: earthquake, visa application
10 February 2023
Ahead of the Family Reunification Directive’s 20th anniversary, this new comparative report provides a comprehensive overview of the current implementation of the Directive and other forms of realisation of family unity for individuals in need of protection across 23 European countries based on ECRE’s Asylum Information Database (AIDA).
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Main Theme: Family reunification
Keywords: Family Reunification Directive, family reunification right
09 February 2023
While condemning attempts to instrumentalise migrants for political purposes, EU leaders agreed on immediate measures to reduce pressure at the EU's external borders, notably through enhanced cooperation with third countries on returns and readmissions.
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Main Theme: Cross-sectional
06 February 2023
According to estimates, Belgium has 23,000 women circumcised and 12,000 girls at risk of being circumcised. The Group for the Abolition of Female Genital Mutilation (Gams) raises awareness of the two treatment centers for victims of female genital mutilation (FGM) accredited in Belgium.
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Main Theme: Asylum
Keywords: female genital mutilation
02 February 2023
Many cities throughout the European Union hosted people fleeing Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. To gauge how cities addressed Europe largest humanitarian crisis since World War II, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) approached selected cities in the EU.
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Main Theme: Integration
Keywords: Ukraine, cities, local actor
26 January 2023
State Secretary for Asylum and Migration, Nicole de Moor, is putting in place prevention campaigns to prevent asylum seekers under the responsibility of other European countries, from starting an asylum procedure in our country. This secondary migration from other EU Member States creates additional pressure on Belgium's asylum system and reception network.
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Main Theme: Asylum
Keywords: Dublin Regulation, prevention campaign
26 January 2023
During today’s informal meeting of Justice and Home Affairs Ministers in Stockholm, the Ministers discussed how to meet migratory challenges. The Swedish Presidency concluded that more needs to be done, both at national and EU level.