The European Commission's Directorate General for Migration and Home Affairs has decided to set up a temporary informal expert group on economic migration, and is therefore calling for applications to select members of this group.

The report entitled ‘Afghanistan security situation’provides a comprehensive overview of the security situation in Afghanistan, and information relevant for the protection status determination of Afghan asylum seekers.

The European Migration Forum – the dialogue platform on migration, asylum and migrant integration – has met for the first time on 26 and 27 January 2015.

Organised in the framework of the Made Real Project funded by the European Union, this conference provides a comprehensive understanding of the EU legal framework on alternatives to detention (ATD) for asylum seekers and
migrants.

The European law and migration team (EDEM) of the Catholic University of Louvain has published its newsletter that analyses recent asylum case law.

On the occasion of the European Parliament plenary session of 13 January 2015, Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos spoke on human smuggling in the Mediterranean and the needed reaction of the EU

In een persbericht van 6 januari 2015, laat het Commissariaat-generaal voor de Vluchtelingen en de Staatlozen (CGVS) weten dat het aantal asielzoekers dat in België in 2014 aanspraak kon maken op een beschermingsstatus hoger dan ooit was.

As from today, foreigners have to pay a fee for introducing certain applications for a residence permit in Belgium with a view to covering administrative costs relating to the processing of such applications.

On 20 January, the Belgian Association for foreigners’ rights organizes a training on the topic “What protection for seriously ill persons following M’Bodj and Abdida case-law?”.

The Centre for Ethnic and Migration Studies (CEDEM) of the University of Liège will hold a scientific thematic workshop on “Religion and the political participation and mobilization of immigrant groups: a transatlantic perspective”

In the first half of 2015 Latvia will assume the Presidency of the Council of the EU. The Presidency will focus on the implementation of the Strategic Guidelines in the area of freedom, security and justice (June 2014), as well as on the respective follow-up initiatives.

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.

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.

The first meeting of the European Migration Forum will take place on 26-27 January 2015 in Brussels. Through a participatory approach and the involvement of civil society organizations, the European Migration Forum will provide a platform for exchanges on migration, asylum and integration issues.

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.