Six years after the promotion of a “new approach to a new neighbourhood” following the 2011 uprisings, what is the state of play of EU’s cooperation with the MENA region in the field of migration and asylum? This session will allow to reflect on the EU's external cooperation in the field of migration and asylum with South and East Mediterranean countries.

On 3 February 2017, the 28 Heads of States discussed the external dimension of migration at the informal summit in Malta. They adopted the Malta Declaration.

A decree of the government of the French-speaking Community – which entered into force today – introduces changes regarding the procedure of recognition of the equivalence of higher education diplomas and certificates obtained abroad.

The Action Plan aims at supporting Member States in the integration of third-country nationals and their economic and social contribution to the EU. It will be accompanied by a legal proposal to reform the rules on highly skilled migrants coming to the EU to work.

The Commission has announced today the approval of new actions in the Horn of Africa region under the EU Emergency Trust Fund for Africa.

The launch event of the European Dialogue on Skills and Migration aims to help the Commission understand what to do better to maximize the benefits of migration for the EU as a whole.

Possible topics for papers include the effects of migration on poverty, inequality and human capital formation; social networks and migration; diaspora externalities; remittances; brain drain; migration and institutional/technological change.

Looking at the migration/refugee crisis, the College of Commissioners looked back at measures taken in 2015 and the initiatives to be presented in 2016 to further develop collective European action and deliver clear and tangible results.

During the first six months of 2016, the Dutch Presidency will work on the priorities agreed with Slovakia and Malta in an 18 month trio programme setting long-term goals for the period January 2016-June 2017.

The Commission is referring Belgium for failing to transpose the Single Permit Directive. The Commission proposes a daily penalty of 52,828.16 euros.

Between 2014 and 2020, the EU will support Niger through the Emergency Trust Fund, inter alia to better manage migration flows, through improved border management and increased support to fight against trafficking and smuggling networks.

Vandaag werden in België de beperkingen opgeheven die van toepassing waren voor het werknemersverkeer uit Kroatië. Kroaten hebben nu vrije toegang tot de arbeidsmarkt in België, zonder arbeidskaart.

Vandaag heeft de Europese Commissie een raadpleging over de toekomst van de Richtlijn betreffende de blauwe kaart gelanceerd. Deze raadpleging nodigt stakeholders (migranten, werkgevers, vakbonden, etc.) uit om hun mening over de blauwe kaart te delen en om verbeterpunten aan te reiken.

This annual conference aims to tackle the current challenges for the EU in developing a coherent legal framework in the field of labour migration and to provide practitioners with an update on the legal rules applicable to labour migrants.

The European Commission asks Belgium to implement rules on a Single Permit and a clear set of rights for legal migrant workers.