Op 16 januari nam EMN België deel aan de MIGLOBA dag 2025, een evenement gewijd aan het netwerk voor migratie en globale mobiliteit van de Universiteit Antwerpen.

Met iets meer dan 239 000 gedetecteerde irreguliere grensovergangen naar de EU die in 2024 werden geregistreerd, meldt Frontex het laagste aantal irreguliere grensovergangen sinds 2021, maar waarschuwt voor veranderende dynamieken en evoluerende uitdagingen.

According to Statbel, the Belgian statistical office, 5.140 persons obtained Belgian nationality in October 2024. The main countries of origin of people who acquired Belgian nationality in October are Morocco, Syria, Romania, Afghanistan and Italy.

Terwijl België blijft kampen met een opvangcrisis die sinds de zomer van 2021 aanhoudt, blijkt uit de laatste cijfers van Fedasil dat het aantal plaatsen voor asielzoekers dar door gemeenten beschikbaar wordt gesteld, blijft afnemen.

Due to the numerous amendments to the Aliens Act, the development of a Migration Code has appeared necessary. In this context, a Commission of Independent Experts was established to provide guidance for the drafting of a new Code. Its final report, now publicly available, presents, among other elements, the Commission’s working methodology, key guidelines for codification, a proposed structure for the Code, and its discussions on draft texts.

As of 7 January 2025, 160 additional emergency shelter places are made available for homeless people sleeping on the streets in the Brussels Capital Region, supplementing the existing 2.600 places within the Brussels unhoused shelter network. The emergency shelter places are open to all homeless people, regardless of residence status.

The UK Home Office released provisional figures showing that more than 36.000 people were detected in 2024, making the crossing of the English Channel in small boats. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that at least 78 migrants died trying to cross the Channel in 2024.

Poland will hold the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union until the end of June 2025. Its programme focuses on strengthening European security in its many dimensions. In the field of justice and home affairs, Poland aims inter alia to counter the instrumentalisation of migration by Russia and Belarus.

From 1 January 2025 until 31 December 2026, the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA) will support Belgium to increase the capacities of the national asylum and reception authorities. Asylum support teams will be deployed to support the registration and processing of cases as well as the design, update and implementation of specific systems and tools. 

Nu het jaar ten einde loopt, wil het team van het Belgisch Contactpunt van het Europees Migratienetwerk (EMN) u zijn welgemeende wensen sturen voor de feestdagen. Moge het nieuwe jaar ons nieuwe mogelijkheden brengen voor zinvolle uitwisselingen en een positieve impact terwijl we u blijven voorzien van waardevolle informatie over asiel en migratie.
 

In a recent judgment, the Court of Justice of the European Union stated that a Member State cannot exclude from the benefit of family allowances a foreign worker whose children, born in a third country, cannot prove that they have entered its territory lawfully.

On 19 December 2024, Myria published the sixth thematic section of its 2024 annual report. In this section, entitled « Nationality », Myria pays particular attention inter alia to the sums to be paid to become Belgian and analyses the impact of such costs on fundamental rights and on women's access to nationality.

The 18 December was chosen to celebrate International Migrants Day and the contributions that migrants make to the societies and countries that host them. On this occasion, various persons and organisations took action and issued statements calling for respect for the rights of migrants.

The Joint Research Centre (JRC) published the Atlas of Migration 2024 which delves into the complex factors and conditions that shape migratory movements. The research shows that a wide range of interrelated drivers linked to the circumstances in the origin country, opportunities in the potential destination country as well as personal ambitions shape the migration potential of individuals and groups.

"Migration and asylum in Europe" allows to explore, visualise and compare indicators on migration and asylum at the EU and country levels. Key data and trends are proposed on topics such as population diversity, protection and asylum, irregular migration and return, and skills of migrants.

During the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 13 December 2024, Member States agreed on a proposal aimed at bringing their criminal law closer together on issues such as the definition and sanctioning of migrant smuggling. The text will now be used by the Council in “trilogue” negotiations with the European Parliament.

The Council of the European Union adopted a decision to lift checks on persons at the internal land borders with and between Bulgaria and Romania from 1 January 2025. Bulgaria and Romania will so become full Schengen members.

The situation at the Union’s borders with Russia and Belarus remains of concern with persistent threats related to the weaponisation of migrants. In a new Communication, the European Commission sets the framework for actions to guarantee the security of the Union and the territorial integrity of the Member States.

In London, the UK, Germany, France, Netherlands and Belgium, in the presence of the European Commission and its agencies, Europol and Frontex, agreed on a five-point priority plan to tackle irregular migration and migrant smuggling in 2025. Key priorities include targeting illicit financial flows that sustain smuggling networks and tackling organised crime groups' use of social media to recruit and advertise dangerous journeys across Europe and the Channel.

As of 9 December 2024, the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons will temporarily suspend processing cases of applicants originating from Syria. Planned personal interviews will be cancelled and assessments will be temporarily put on hold.

From 9 December 2024 until 8 June 2025, the Royal Netherlands Marechaussee will conduct temporary checks at its borders with Belgium and Germany to, among other things, stem irregular immigration into the country and combat migrant smuggling. Travellers intending to cross the border are advised to carry their ID documents with them.

On the occasion of International Volunteer Day, Fedasil highlights the importance of volunteers who give their time to residents in reception centres and of sponsors who create links with these residents outside of the centres. If you have free time, join them and contact a reception centre in your neighbourhood!

On 4 December 2024, the European Commission released a proposal for a Regulation enabling a progressive start of operations for Europe’s new digital border system - the Entry/Exit System (EES). According to the proposal, the Member States will start registering at least ten per cent of border crossings, and by the end of the given six-month period, they will need to reach the full registration of all people.

Myria has published the fifth thematic section of its 2024 annual report. In this section, entitled « International protection », Myria pays particular attention inter alia to the new residence procedure for stateless persons. The Federal Migration Centre underlines that the new procedure is subject to strict conditions and that it provides reduced procedural guarantees for stateless persons.

The Secretary of State for Asylum and Migration has announced that she would use all possible means to reduce the number of applications from persons who already have protection in another EU Member State. She intends to oppose the Council for Aliens Law Litigation's rulings leading to the admissibility of these applications and the recognition of a protected status.