Publication date: 21 March 2024
This Inform from the European Migration Network (EMN) offers an overview of current practices in EMN Member Countries and two Observer Countries (Georgia, Ukraine) on the digitalisation of identity documents and residence permits issued to third-country nationals. It also compiles views from national authorities on the challenges and advantages of introducing digital-only documents.
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Main theme: Migration
Publication Type: EMN inform
Keywords: identity document, residence permit, digitalisation
Publication date: 19 December 2023
Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "A chain of responsibilities" on 19 December 2023.
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Publication date: 01 August 2023
New research carried out in the context of the Equality Law Clinic at the Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) focuses on the EU Single Permit Directive and shares concerns regarding the complexity and efficiency of the application (and renewal) procedure, the exclusion of certain categories of migrants from the scope of the Directive and the lack of protection of migrant workers from exploitation.
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Publication date: 30 June 2023
FAIRWORK Belgium's 2022 annual report analyses inter alia the complex system of single permits. Given current practices, this system "benefits dishonest employers" according to the organisation.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: migrant workers, single permit, undocumented migrants
Publication date: 23 March 2023
This briefing discusses key recent trends and figures and provides an overview of EU policy developments relating to the management of the EU's external borders.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: external border, border management, border security
Publication date: 07 December 2022
Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Trapped by debt" on 7 December 2022.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Publication date: 20 October 2022
In 2022, Belgium was subject to the third evaluation round of the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. This report analyses in detail how the Belgian authorities ensure access to justice and effective remedies for victims of trafficking in human beings.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: GRETA, effective remedy, victims of human trafficking
Publication date: 16 September 2022
What bilateral readmission agreements exist between EU Member States, Norway and third countries to facilitate the return of migrants staying irregularly on the EU territory? This EMN inform aims to map these agreements and understand how they work.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: EMN inform
Publication date: 24 August 2022
In the context of migration, detention is permitted and regulated by a strict European legislative framework. Recognising the severity of the measure against the right to liberty and in order to enhance the safeguards for vulnerable persons, Member States rely increasingly on alternatives to detention. Alternatives to detention are often considered to be less resource-intensive, less intrusive for the individual, and more effective at reducing pressure on national detention systems, but their implementation comes with a series of challenges.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: alternatives to detention
Publication date: 08 July 2022
What incentives and motives exist that impact a third-country national’s decision to depart voluntarily? This EMN inform focuses on the issue of voluntary departures from EU Member States and Norway, in compliance with - or in anticipation of - a return decision.
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Main theme: Return & Readmission
Publication Type: EMN inform
Publication date: 06 May 2022
Trafficking in human beings is a crime against the victim’s fundamental rights. It can take several forms, such as sexual exploitation, forced labour or services, slavery and servitude-related practices, as well as the removal of organs. This practice is prohibited under numerous EU and international instruments. Yet, persistent demand for sexual services and for low-wage workers employed in manual jobs continues to provide opportunities for traffickers to exploit human beings.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: victims of human trafficking
Publication date: 28 April 2022
On 25 April 2022, the EMN published its inform on attracting and retaining international researchers, which provides an overview of the means adopted by Member States to enhance attractiveness for international researchers, as well as the main challenges and best practices that they encountered to admit and retain them.
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Main theme: Study § Training
Publication Type: EMN inform
Publication date: 08 March 2022
This EMN inform outlines approaches, experiences and best practices in monitoring, detecting and addressing the misuse of authorisations to reside in the EU for the purpose of study.
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Publication date: 03 March 2022
EMN in cooperation with the OECD published a new inform ‘Skills Mobility Partnerships: Exploring Innovative Approaches to Labour Migration’. This inform highlights experiences by EU Member States, non-EU countries and international organisations with regards to the introduction of Skills Mobility Partnerships (SMPs), a new concept that promotes a sustainable approach to skilled migration and mobility, with the aim to build skills for the benefit of both countries of origin and destination.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: EMN inform
Keywords: Skills Mobility Partnerships; Labour Migration
Publication date: 22 July 2021
On 20 July 2021, the European Migration Network (EMN) published an overview of Member States’ experiences with new legal pathways in the areas of Talent Partnerships and complementary work-related pathways for those in need of international protection.
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Main theme: Migration
Publication Type: EMN inform
Publication date: 01 July 2021
This paper provides an overview of EU initiatives on developing and deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to improve border control and border security.
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Main theme: Borders & Visa
Publication Type: Report
Keywords: artificial intelligence, border control, security
Publication date: 01 February 2021
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on return procedures had been significant across EU countries as well as OECD countries in and outside Europe since March 2020. This Inform looks into the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on voluntary and forced return procedures and on policy responses.
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Publication date: 20 January 2021
For many EU countries, seasonal workers from third countries are crucial to fill temporary, cyclical labour market needs. Since the adoption of the Seasonal Workers Directive in 2016, this specific category of workers can benefit from EU-harmonised admission policies and rights concerning their entry and stay. This study provides a comparative overview of recent trends in seasonal workers coming to the EU and Belgium, and the strategies and practices related to seasonal workers from third countries.
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Main theme: Economic migration
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Keywords: seasonal workers directive, seasonal labour
Publication date: 15 December 2020
Myria, the Federal Migration Centre and independent national rapporteur on trafficking in human beings, published its independent and public annual report "Behind Closed Doors" on 15 December 2020.
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Main theme: Smuggling & Trafficking
Publication Type: Report
Publication date: 04 November 2020
The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the flow of migrants who planned to enter the EU and OECD countries as workers in essential sectors (e.g. health- and care- workers, hospital auxiliary staff, agricultural workers) as well as those who were residing on a temporary or renewable basis for the purpose of work in these sectors. How did EU & OECD countries respond to the need to prevent labour market shortages during the COVID-19 crisis? An answer to this and other questions can be found in the Inform.
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Publication date: 17 September 2020
The COVID-19 crisis has impacted the ability of international students to enrol in a HEI abroad and to travel to that country to take up studies. How did EU & OECD countries respond? Did they adapt their admission processes? An answer to these and other questions can be found in the Inform.
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Publication date: 05 August 2020
The first EMN and OECD inform on the impact of COVID-19 in the migration area is out. The inform focuses on EU and OECD Member States responses to managing residence permits and migrant unemployment.
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Publication date: 08 July 2020
Integration through acquisition of citizenship has become an important topic in many EU Member States in recent years, as the number of new migrants arriving in the EU has increased in recent years. The EMN study found that citizenship is seen by Member States as either the culmination of the integration process or as facilitating the integration process. However, in most Member States, third-country nationals are not actively encouraged to apply for citizenship.
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Main theme: Citizenship & Nationality
Publication Type: Thematic Studies
Publication date: 17 June 2020
The EMN annual report on asylum and migration provides an overview of the major developments in the field of migration and asylum in Belgium and in the EU in 2019.
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Main theme: Cross-sectional, Asylum, Migration
Publication Type: Annual Policy Reports
Keywords: annual report
Publication date: 02 April 2020
21 Member States provided information on national laws and practices regarding the time limits for decisions on family reunification and the consequences of exceeding these limits.