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On 28 March 2024, the House of Representatives, during the plenary session, approved by a majority the ETIAS law which establishes the Belgian ETIAS National Unit and defines its organisation and functioning. It will enforce the ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorisation System) regulation adopted by the European Union in 2018.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: ETIAS, European Travel Information and Authorisation System
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At a meeting of the Council’s Permanent Representatives Committee (COREPER), Member States agreed their position on a draft regulation which updates a mechanism that allows the EU to suspend visa-free travel for third countries whose nationals are exempt from the visa obligation when travelling to the Schengen area.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: visa-free travel, suspension mechanism
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Today, the Belgian Presidency of the Council and European Parliament negotiators have provisionally agreed on two regulations that govern the collection and use of air passenger data for border management and law enforcement.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: advanced passenger information, border management
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On 28 February 2024 the European Ombudsman published a press release regarding the completion of its inquiry about the Adriana shipwreck in June 2023, which also included recommendations regarding broader systemic issues. The Ombudsman called on EU legislators to address fundamental rights gaps and to establish an independent commission of inquiry to assess the reasons for the large numbers of deaths in the Mediterranean.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Mediterranean, shipwreck, fundamental rights, search and rescue
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In its pushback report 2023 published today, the human rights organisation 11.11.11. says there were 346.004 illegal pushbacks of people migrating to Europe in 2023 - that is 947 every day. The organisation used information provided by NGOs, human rights bodies and UN agencies to report this figure.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: external border, pushback, human rights
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The Belgian presidency of the Council of the EU and European Parliament negotiators today reached a provisional deal on amending the Schengen Borders Code. The update in particular clears up rules related to the reintroduction of border controls and offers solutions to situations where migrants are instrumentalised.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen, Schengen borders code, migration instrumentalization, border control
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As of today, 1 January 2024, the people of Kosovo with biometric passports no longer require visas when travelling for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period to all 27 Schengen Area countries.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: visa liberalisation, Schengen area, Kosovo
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Today, the European Parliament adopted a resolution wrapping up the fact-finding investigation by the Working Group on Frontex Scrutiny with 366 votes in favour, 154 against, and 15 abstaining. The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) inter alia share concerns over the situation in Greece, Lithuania and Hungary.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Frontex, fundamental rights, EU border agency, search and rescue
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Fencing work has started today along the Westkerke and Mannekensvere highway car parks on the E40 to prevent transmigrants from crossing the highway to climb into lorries aiming to reach the UK.
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Main theme: Irregular Migration
Keywords: transmigration, transmigrant, transit migrant
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A Belgian expert participated in the conference of the Austrian Contact Point to the European Migration Network (EMN) focusing on opportunities and challenges in the management of EU's external borders. Participants inter alia identified the weaponization of migration as a major challenge concerning the protection of EU's external borders.
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Frontex revealed today that the number of detections of irregular border crossings at EU’s external borders rose by one fifth (+18%) in the first eight months of 2023 to over 232 350 and that this increase was primarily driven by the number of arrivals through the Central Mediterranean, which remains the main migratory route into the EU.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: irregular border crossing, external border, migratory route
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The national conference organised by EMN Austria this year will facilitate an insightful discussion among experts on the efficient and humanitarian management of EU’s external borders.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: external border, border management
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This seminar will examine new findings on how Schengen emerged, how its current design was shaped and which topics are likely to dominate the future political agenda.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen
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Today, the Commission adopted a Communication on the monitoring of the EU's visa-free travel regimes setting out a consultation process. To address challenges and prevent risks effectively, existing rules concerning the monitoring of the functioning of visa-free regimes with third countries and the suspension of visa exemptions should be re-assessed and improved.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: visa-free travel, visa suspension mechanism
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This report is part of the Commission's initiative to further reinforce the Schengen governance through a yearly reporting exercise presenting the state of Schengen, identifying challenges and best practices, as well as priority areas for action. The State of Schengen Report 2023 will serve as basis for political discussions and steer at the Council on 8 June 2023.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen
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This hybrid annual conference will debate the latest developments and challenges in the EU’s internal and external border management. It will analyse the latest proposals and reforms on the functioning and operation of EU border management systems, including Schengen, as well as Frontex’ role and responsibilities. A particular focus will be given to the ongoing situation at the EU’s eastern border.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: border management, EU border agency, Schengen, Frontex, migrant smuggling
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This conference will examine the issues at the core of the current debates about Schengen like the balance between solidarity & responsibility between States in liaison with secondary movements of asylum seekers, the persistence of controls at Schengen internal borders, the way to monitor human rights at the external borders, the increasing recourse to large-scale databases,...
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen, Schengen acquis
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Myria has published the first thematic section of its 2023 annual report. This section entitled "Access to the territory" presents the main key figures relating to short and long-stay visas as well as the different reasons and nationalities that stood out in 2022.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: access to the territory, short-stay visa, long-stay visa
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Ahead of the Artificial Intelligence Act vote in the European Parliament, a coalition of human rights organisations is calling on EU lawmakers to include provisions in the proposed EU AI Act to protect people from AI surveillance technologies used in migration.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: artificial intelligence, border security, fundamental rights
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Several major challenges have affected the EU's external borders in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine. These multiple challenges impacted figures and trends and urged policy developments which are clearly presented in a briefing released today by the European Parliament.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: border management, border security, external border
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Today, the Commission adopted a Communication that presents the strategic framework for European integrated border management (EIBM) for 5 years and a Recommendation to Member States on the mutual recognition of return decisions and expediting returns.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: European integrated border management, return decision, border control, fundamental rights
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Today the upgraded Schengen Information System (SIS) enters into operation to enhance security and border management in Europe. The renewed SIS is being enhanced to include new categories of alerts, biometrics such as palm prints, fingermarks, and DNA records for missing persons, and additional tools to combat crime and terrorism.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: Schengen Information System, border management
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The 2nd European Border Managament Conference was held in Athens on 23 and 24 February 2023. Participating Member States inter alia underlined the importance of effective control of EU's external borders and required legal, financial, operational and technical measures as well as a whole-of-the-route approach to ensure this.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: border control, border management
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People affected by the earthquake in Turkey and Syria who wish to travel to Belgium to receive support from their families will have their visa application handled faster.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Keywords: earthquake, visa application
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The Commission is proposing two new Regulations to strengthen the use of advanced passenger information. The new rules, that will replace the 2004 API Directive, will enhance external border controls and the fight against serious crime and terrorism within the EU.