België zal de komende zes maanden het voorzitterschap van de Raad van de Europese Unie waarnemen, een positie die het sinds 2010 niet meer heeft bekleed. Het Belgisch voorzitterschap zal bijzonder belangrijk zijn omdat het de debatten over de Strategische Agenda van de Europese Raad zal sturen en de aanloop zal vormen naar de verkiezingen voor het Europees Parlement in juni 2024.

Vanaf vandaag, 1 januari 2024, hebben inwoners van Kosovo met een biometrisch paspoort geen visum meer nodig als ze voor een kort verblijf van maximaal 90 dagen per periode van 180 dagen naar alle 27 landen in het Schengengebied reizen. 

18 December is the International Migrants Day. On 18 December 2014, the Federal Migration Center organized pedagogical and interactive activities while several labour unions and civil society organizations called for more rights for labour migrants

Under the Italian Presidency of the European Union a two days conference on European Migration Policy and Integration is organized in Rome on 17-18 December 2014.

Today the European Commission adopted its Work Programme for 2015 – setting out the actions the Commission intends to take over the next 12 months to make a real difference for jobs, growth and investment and bring concrete benefits for citizens.

The last update of reference amounts for the crossing of the external borders has been published in the EU Official Journal on 13 December 2014. Belgium’s requirements are outlined.

This conference will allow the general public to learn and discuss the findings of the CONTENTION project which examines the different dimensions of the lawfulness of detention with differing practices and differing forms of implementation at national and European level.

The Foreign affairs (development) Council meeting of 12 December 2014 has adopted a number of conclusions in the field of migration and development cooperation emphasizing the positive migration and development circle and orientations to strengthen this relation.

As part of the implementation of the government agreement of October 2014 as well as of the new reception scheme, the reduction of available reception places for asylum seekers has been approved by the Council of Ministers of 11 December 2014.

Syria neighbouring States are increasingly affected by the number of refugees seeking sanctuary within their country. The European Commission is stepping up its assistance to Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon to contribute to address Syrian refugees’ needs.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting gathering all EU 28 Justice and Home Affairs national ministers took place on 4 and 5 December 2014. Managing migratory flows, the functioning of the Schengen area and acting on foreign fighters were the main migration related topics discussed.

On 4 December 2014, 22 Syrian refugees landed in Belgium for resettlement. 53 more are expected to arrive by the end of the year. Further resettlements of Syrian refugees are planned in 2015.

The Court of Justice of the European Union has issued a case-law in relation to international protection and protection of human rights in the case of alleged persecutions because of an applicant's sexual orientation.

This conference focuses on migration as a specific strategy developed by EU citizens to adjust to an adverse socio-economic environment. Participants will look at the mobility of EU citizens proceeding from Southern European Member States who move to Northern European Member States.

Eurostat has released available data on asylum applicants and first instance decisions on asylum applications in the European Union in the third quarter of 2014

On 28 November 2014, the new State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration, Theo Francken, delivered the general policy note defining the main orientations and actions in the field of asylum and migration.

On 1 October 2014, the European Commission has released its 31st Annual Report on monitoring the application of EU law in Member States. As far as home affairs and migration issues are concerned, four infringement procedures are open against Belgium.