This conference will explore European and Dutch experiences in supporting the early integration of applicants for international protection, with a particular focus on employment, language learning and cultural orientation. Drawing on the findings of a new EMN Inform, the event will bring together policymakers, experts and practitioners to discuss different national approaches, implementation challenges and good practices across Europe.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled on the compatibility of a national residence requirement with EU equal treatment rules. The Court examined whether a 10-year residence condition could be applied to beneficiaries of international protection in order to access a social benefit. It found that the measure constitutes indirect discrimination prohibited under EU law.

DUO for a JOB has launched a national awareness campaign highlighting the persistence of discrimination in recruitment processes in Belgium. The initiative uses the format of the well-known game “Guess Who?” to illustrate how candidates may still be excluded on the basis of appearance, name, origin or accent rather than skills. The campaign is being rolled out in May across public spaces, including stations and metro networks in several Belgian cities.

Coastal rescue services along the Belgian North Sea are being briefed on how to respond to increased small boat activity linked to attempted irregular crossings towards the United Kingdom. The sessions aim to strengthen awareness and improve coordination with relevant authorities ahead of the start of the beach surveillance season.

Based on data released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), nearly 7.900 deaths or disappearances were recorded on migration routes worldwide in 2025. This compares with approximately 9.200 recorded in 2024. The figures bring the cumulative total to more than 80.000 deaths or disappearances recorded since 2014, when the Missing Migrants Project began collecting data.

Belgian Minister for Asylum and Migration Anneleen Van Bossuyt is carrying out a visit to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The visit takes place in the context of a marked increase in asylum applications from Congolese nationals in Belgium in recent years. The mission aims to discourage unfounded asylum applications, address the misuse of visa procedures, counter document fraud and misleading messages from smugglers, and strengthen cooperation on return and the fight against irregular migration. 

Op 27 maart 2026 nam EMN België deel aan de studiedag van Myria en het Nationaal Instituut voor Criminalistiek en Criminologie (NICC) getiteld "Het smokkelstatuut onder de loep", waar de resultaten werden voorgesteld van het onderzoeksrapport over de toepassing van het smokkelstatuut in de praktijk.

On 20 March 2026, the Belgian Council of Ministers approved a draft law that would link the level of social assistance granted to beneficiaries of subsidiary and temporary protection to their participation in integration efforts through the Individual Social Integration Project (ISIP). Under the proposal, the amount of social assistance could be adjusted depending on the efforts made by the beneficiary to integrate.

According to the Latest Asylum Trends 2025 published by the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), EU+ countries received approximately 822.000 applications for international protection in 2025, representing a 19 % decrease compared to 2024. Despite the overall decline, demand for protection remained significant in some groups and countries.

Four years after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Belgium has granted more than 101.500 temporary protection certificates to people fleeing the conflict. Today, around 70.600 of these displaced Ukrainians remain in the country. While the temporary protection scheme has been extended until March 2027, uncertainty remains over what will happen afterwards, raising questions for both the authorities and Ukrainian beneficiaries.

On 19 February 2026, EMN Belgium attended a Mutual Learning Seminar organised by ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles) within the framework of the INNOVATE project, supported by EU funding under the Horizon 2020 programme.Held in Brussels, the seminar brought together experts, civil society representatives and policymakers to assess the state of preparedness across EU Member States for transitioning out of temporary protection under the Temporary Protection Directive, currently extended until March 2027.

On 1 February 2026, Belgian Ministers Anneleen Van Bossuyt (Asylum and Migration) and Bernard Quintin (Interior) announced the extension of targeted internal checks, in place since July 2025, until at least 31 July 2026. The measures aim to curb irregular migration and secondary movements into Belgium while enforcing residence requirements and enhancing security. Targeted checks are conducted on major roads, long‑distance buses, selected trains, and intra‑Schengen flights.

From 1 January 2026, the Onder1Dak project, which promotes co-housing between private homeowners and recognised refugees in Flanders, has restarted following renewed support from the Flemish Minister for Civic Integration and Integration. The initiative aims to facilitate access to housing while supporting the social and professional integration of recognised refugees.

On 23 December 2025, the Belgian Council of Ministers approved a draft law linking social assistance to integration efforts. For recognised refugees, the draft law foresees that the Individual Social Integration Project (ISIP) should include, at a minimum, participation in an integration path. Other newcomers, including third-country students and economically inactive EU citizens, would now need to have legally resided in Belgium for five years before becoming eligible for social assistance.

De EMN Hongarije Conferentie zal onderzoeken hoe EU-kaders voor tijdelijke bescherming zich ontwikkelen en hoe deze veranderingen in de praktijk worden toegepast in Centraal-Europa. De conferentie heeft als doel om beleidsontwikkelingen op hoog niveau te verbinden met de realiteit ter plaatse voor ontheemden en opvanggemeenschappen. Daarnaast wordt gekeken naar mogelijke transities vanaf het huidige EU-regime voor tijdelijke bescherming, met aandacht voor regionale praktijken, uitdagingen en succesvolle benaderingen. 

De EMN Portugal Conferentie 2025 richt zich op de specifieke uitdagingen die voortkomen uit internationale bescherming en de integratie van begunstigden. Het evenement brengt onderzoekers, overheidsinstanties, sociale partners en vertegenwoordigers van de private sector samen om kennis uit te wisselen en innovatieve beleidsmaatregelen en praktijken te verkennen. Deelnemers krijgen de kans om nationale ervaringen te bespreken en succesvolle benaderingen te delen die aan verschillende contexten kunnen worden aangepast. 

De EMN Litouwen Conferentie zal onderzoeken hoe arbeidsmigratie- en integratiebeleid beter op elkaar kunnen worden afgestemd om tegemoet te komen aan de veranderende arbeidsmarktbehoeften in Europa. Beleidsmakers, experts en praktijkdeskundigen komen samen om manieren te bespreken om coherente en duurzame systemen voor arbeidsmigratie op te bouwen. De discussies richten zich op eerlijke behandeling, inclusie en langetermijnresultaten voor migranten. De conferentie benadrukt het belang van het verbinden van beleidsontwerp met praktische integratiemaatregelen in de hele EU. 

On 26 November 2025, several civil society organisations, including Caritas International and Vluchtelingenwerk Vlaanderen, published a statement warning about rising refusals of temporary protection applications. Between January and October, 2.380 applications were rejected, compared with 1.578 in 2022. The organisations highlighted difficulties in accessing accommodation and support for displaced persons affected. Authorities attribute the increase to changes in European rules and stricter administrative requirements.

Deze conferentie maakt gebruik van internationale en Ierse expertise op het gebied van integratie om inzicht te bieden in Ierland binnen een Europese beleidscontext en om bewijsmateriaal te delen over wat werkt in integratiebeleid. Zowel nationale als lokale perspectieven op integratie in Ierland komen aan bod. 

De EMN Finland Conferentie 2025 zal ingaan op de veranderde context van migrantenintegratie in Finland, evenals de uitdagingen en kansen die dit met zich meebrengt. De conferentie legt een bijzondere nadruk op integratiediensten in een vroeg stadium en hun impact op de integratie en werkgelegenheid van migranten.