Today the European Commission is launching the process for a reform of the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and developing safe and well-managed pathways for legal migration to Europe.

Vandaag bediscussieerden Belgische sleutelpersonen actief in de strijd tegen mensensmokkel onder andere het gebruik van sociale media in de migrantensmokkel tijdens een ronde tafel georganizeerd door het Belgisch Contactpunt van het Europees Migratienetwerk.

The EU and Turkey have found an agreement in order to end irregular migration from Turkey to the EU.

Today, the Commission is reporting on the implementation of the temporary emergency relocation schemes and the European resettlement scheme. The report summarises the challenges and proposes recommendations to improve the implementation of these schemes.

The Council conclusions on migrant smuggling were adopted by the Council at its 3455th meeting held on 10-11 March 2016

This Eurostat News Release covers main trends on first time asylum applicants and on pending asylum applicants for the complete 2015 year in the EU28+ EFTA region.

Today the Commission proposes a new Emergency Assistance Instrument for faster crisis response within the EU.

Today, the Commission confirmed that Greece is in the process of returning 308 irregular migrants to Turkey, as the EU steps up its efforts to ensure that those who do not qualify for international protection will be quickly and effectively returned to their countries of origin or transit.

Today 27 February, numerous platforms and citizens came together for a European March in more than hundred cities in 28 countries, including Brussels where 3000 persons expressed support for the initiative.

Today, the Belgian government approved the plan for the distribution of asylum seekers over the different municipalities of the Kingdom. It will enter into force on 1 May 2016.

The Justice and Home Affairs Council of 25/02/2016 discussed the current migratory situation, including the monitoring of implementation of the measures already agreed at recent meetings of the European Council and Justice and Home Affairs Council.

Today Interior Minister Jan Jambon announced the Belgian government's decision to patrol the border with France until 23 March 2016, alleging a surge in arrivals caused by the closure of the refugee camp known as the "Jungle" in Calais.

Europol heeft vandaag een nieuw centrum tegen mensensmokkel gelanceerd, het European Migrant Smuggling Center (EMSC). Het doel van het centrum is om de Europese lidstaten proactief te ondersteunen in het ontmantelen van criminele netwerken die instaan voor de mensensmokkel richting Europa.

Vanaf januari 2016 publiceert het CGVS de maandelijkse asielstatistieken volgens het aantal personen in plaats van het aantal dossiers. Op deze manier stemmen de nationale statistieken overeen met de definities die Europese instanties hanteren zoals Eurostat en EASO.

On 15th February, a new vaccination campaign has been launched for newly arrived asylum seekers.

Op maandag 1 februari hebben Fedasil en IOM een chartervlucht ingelast om de vrijwillige terugkeer van 106 personen naar Bagdad te organiseren; een unicum in Europa.

Belgium pledged 75 million EUR to be spent on humanitarian aid in Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. The aid will mostly be dedicated to initiatives encouraging refugees to stay in their region of origin and providing dignified living conditions.

Het Jaarrapport 2015 over de strijd tegen mensenhandel en mensensmokkel is nu beschikbaar in het Engels. Het rapport is van Myria, het Belgische Federaal Migratiecentrum en de onafhankelijk nationaal rapporteur mensenhandel.

This EASO newsletter provides information on the election of new executive director José Carreira (PT) and chairman Wolfgang Taucher (AT) of the EASO managment board.

Op 12 en 13 januari bracht een EMN conferentie meer dan 200 deelnemers samen om input te leveren voor de implementatie voor het EU Actieplan tegen mensensmokkel. Dit resulteerde in concrete aanbevelingen om mensensmokkel efficiënter aan te pakken.

Looking at the migration/refugee crisis, the College of Commissioners looked back at measures taken in 2015 and the initiatives to be presented in 2016 to further develop collective European action and deliver clear and tangible results.

In 2015, the number of asylum applications filed in Belgium doubled compared to 2014, and the protection rate reached an all-time high.

During the first six months of 2016, the Dutch Presidency will work on the priorities agreed with Slovakia and Malta in an 18 month trio programme setting long-term goals for the period January 2016-June 2017.

De Europese Raad kwam op 17 en18 december 2015 overeen op de acties over de hotspot-operaties op te drijven, alsook de implementatie van relocatie- en terugkeerbeslissingen, de controle van exteren grenzen en de samenwerking met derde landen.