Today, the European Commission decided to refer Belgium to the Court of Justice of the EU for failing to fully implement the Single Permit Directive (Directive 2011/98/EU). Designed to facilitate legal migration, the Directive introduces simplified procedures and a common set of rights for non-EU workers.

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.

Today, EASO presented its yearly reference report summarizing key developments that took place in the asylum field in the EU+ in 2016 as well as some more recent data of 2017. The launching of the annual report 2016 brought together a large audience, including journalists.

Today the Commission proposes an action plan to support Italy, reduce pressure and increase solidarity along the Central Mediterranean Route.

Each year, the Odysseus Network organizes a summer school in EU immigration and asylum law and policy. The courses tackle the most recent legislative, jurisprudential and political developments in the field at EU level.

Today, the restricted Council of Ministers has approved the proposal of the State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration to create a single registration centre for asylum seekers in Neder-Over-Heembeek.

The first edition of the Antwerp Summer School ‘Europe: Diversity and Migration’ addresses the issue of superdiversity from an interdisciplinary perspective and in doing so, provides participants with concrete insights, information and tools based on theoretical perspectives, empirical case studies and field visits. In doing so it reveals the interrelations between the micro-, meso- and macro-level processes concerned allowing for fine-grained and in-depth understandings of the complex relationships between migration and integration processes.

A tribunal in Brussels sentenced eight persons to suspended 15-month prison sentences and a €165,000 fine for trafficking in human beings and degrading treatment.

On the occasion of the United Nations' World Refugee Day, the European Commission is today releasing the 'EU Skills Profile Tool for Third-Country Nationals'. The tool is meant to support early identification of the skills of refugees, migrants and other third country nationals

The Annual Conference 2017 will focus on the Reform of the EU Legal Migration System.

Today, the Belgian Louise-Marie frigate departed from the port of Zeebrugge, starting its deployment in the Mediterranean sea in the framework of the EUNAVFOR MED – Sophia operation. The deployment will last until 28 July.

Justice and Home Affairs Ministers met on 8 and 9 June 2017. Home Affairs issues included the reform of the CEAS, European travel information and authorisation systems, Schengen information system, Information systems interoperability and return policy. The protection of children in migration was also put forward.

The conference of the Norwegian National Contact Point of the EMN, which will take place in Oslo on 1 June 2017, will focus on the methods and technology used to establish migrants' identities.

Today, the Belgian State Secretary for Asylum Policy and Migration and the German Minister of Foreign Affairs signed a letter of intent to increase the cooperation of the two countries regarding monitoring beneficiaries of international protection who travel to their countries of origin.

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. 

In het kader van het Maltese voorzitterschap van de Europese Raad, hield het Maltese Nationale Contactpunt van het EMN op 24 en 25 mei 2017 een tweedaagse conferentie. De conferentie was gewijd aan de hervorming van het gemeenschappelijk Europees asielstelsel.