In December of this year, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons was asked by the Belgian government to carry out an independent enquiry on the fate of the Sudanese nationals who recently returned to their country of origin.

A the beginning of December 2017, the European Commission has published the common "Return Handbook". It provides Member States with common guidelines, best practices and recommendations to be used by Member States' competent authorities when carrying out return-related tasks. 

Vandaag heeft het Belgische Contactpunt van het Europees Migratienetwerk (EMN) een conferentie georganiseerd over de voornaamste ontwikkelingen op het vlak van asiel en migratie die zich hebben voorgedaan in 2017.

Today an amending regulation came into force, establishing a new common design and enhanced security features for residence permit cards in the EU.

The Migration Policy Institute Europe (MPI Europe), the United States Mission to the European Union, the Mission of Canada to the European Union, and the European Economic and Social Committee will organise a conference on 'Social innovation for refugee inclusion: Maintaining momentum and creating lasting change'. 

The Commission and the European Economic and Social Committee are organising a conference on "From Crisis Management Towards Everyday Practice: Lessons from the refugees' integration for future labour market and social policies", on 6 November in Brussels.

Op 26 oktober 2017 werd de algemene beleidsnota asiel en migratie van de Staatssecretaris voor Asiel en Migratie gepubliceerd. De beleidsnota brengt een overzicht van de belangrijkste verwezenlijkingen en beleidsprioriteiten op het vlak van asiel en migratie.

Het Belgisch Contactpunt van het EMN organiseerde op 05.10.2017 een bijeenkomst te Brussel over de illegale tewerkstelling van derdelanders. Deze conferentie bracht toonaangevende experten samen voor een constructieve en stimulerende dialoog over deze interessante problematiek.

The European Commission published a mid-term review of what has been achieved so far in delivering the European Agenda on Migration. It also sets out new initiatives from the Commission to address key areas, and identifies where further efforts are needed in the coming months.

The State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration Theo Francken and the Walloon Minister for Employment have signed on 29 August a collaboration agreement intended to foster the socio-professional insertion of asylum seekers.

Het Odysseus netwerk en het ‘Centre for European Studies’ van de Vrije Universiteit Brussel zullen, met de steun van het Belgisch contactpunt van het EMN, een debatavond organiseren. Dit debat zal gaan over ‘Immigrant Integration Policies of Belgian Regions: A Mirror of the Diversity in the EU?’

The return of irregular migrants is one of the main pillars of the EU’s policy on migration and asylum. In this light the EMN will conduct in 2017 a study on ‘The effectiveness of return in EU Member States: challenges and good practices linked to EU rules and standards‘. The synthesis report of this study is expected to be published at the end of 2017. The Belgian national report will probably be published at the beginning of 2018.

An ordinance of the Joint Community Commission of Brussels - which was published in the Belgian Gazette today - establishes a mandatory integration programme for newcomers in Brussels. 

CNCD 11.11.11 and other organizations including CIRÉ, Médecins du Monde and Amnesty International, organize debates, testimonies and social and cultural encounters in different regions in Belgium to promote a different approach on migrations.

Today, the thematic Council of Ministers on security, justice and defence approved a series of measures, including the proposal of the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration to increase the capacity of the closed detention centres for irregularly staying migrants.

This conference of the German Contact Point of the EMN, which will take place in Berlin on 4 May, focuses on return counselling, integrated return management and reintegration.

Today, two new laws have entered into force. They focus on the procedure to end the residence rights and organized the removal of foreign nationals legally residing in Belgium for reasons of public order or national security.

This info day will inform participants on the EU financial support and ways to optimize its use in the integration work. Participants will also be able to exchange good practices in this matter.