EMN
Myria is one of the partners of the Belgian National Contact Point (NCP) of the European Migration Network (EMN). Myria is hence a member of the Steering board of the Contact Point and actively participates in the daily operation. The Belgian EMN is a mixed contact point, composed of four public institutions: Myria, the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGVS-CGRA), the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil), and the Immigration Office (DVZ-OE), which is also responsible for the coordination.
The European Migration network (EMN) was established by Council Decision (2008/381/EC) of 14 May 2008. The decision foresees a National Contact Point supporting the network in each Member State, and under the coordination of the European Commission.
The main objective of EMN is to provide "reliable, objective, comparable and up-to-date" information on asylum and migration, both at European and national level, in support of policies for the European Union, the Member States and their citizens.
Therefor each national contact point builds a national network of individuals and organisations active in the field of asylum and migration: universities, research institutes, scientific researchers, government agencies, NGOs, international organisations and other interested parties.
At the Belgian level, a common contact point of four institutions ensures the functioning of EMN: the Immigration Office within the FPS Home Affairs (General Coordination), the Office of the Commissioner General for Refugees and Stateless Persons (CGVS-CGRA), the Federal Agency for the Reception of Asylum Seekers (Fedasil), and the Federal Migration Center (Myria).
The decision to build a Belgian EMN contact point with several different institutions was taken on November 1, 2008 by the then Minister of Asylum and Migration Policy, following the decision of the European Council of 14 May 2008.
EMN not only publishes an annual policy report on asylum and migration, but also reports on specific themes. A joint work program establishes thematic studies on a yearly basis. By means of a common questionnaire the different Member States first establish a national report. EMN then compiles a comparative EU synthesis report.
In addition, the EMN, on the initiative of the European Commission or a (Member) State, responds in a relatively short period of time to ad hoc questions on a specific aspect of asylum and migration. For example overviews of policies and practices in the different (member states) can be compiled in relatively short order.
EMN also publishes Informs and Bulletins.
More info on the EMN Europe website and the website of the EMN Belgian National Contact Point.
- Illegal Employment of Third Country Nationals in Belgium and in the EU (EMN)
- Family Reunification of TCNs in Belgium and the EU: national practices (EMN)
- Guidelines for Monitoring and Evaluation of AVR(R) Programmes (EMN)
- EMN Bulletin (oktober - december 2015)
- Migrant movements through the Mediterranean (EMN Inform)
- A study on smuggling of migrants: Characteristics, responses and cooperation with third countries (EMN)
- Determining labour shortages and the need for labour migration from third countries (EMN Inform)
- Determining labour shortages and the need for labour migration from third countries in Belgium and in the EU (EMN)
- Dissemination of information on voluntary return in Belgium and in the EU: how to reach irregular migrants not in contact with the authorities (EMN)
- EMN Bulletin (juni-september 2015)
History
The European Migration Network was established gradually. As early as 2003, the European Commission launched a "European Migration Network" as a pilot project aimed at improving the exchange of information on asylum and migration policies conducted within Member States and European institutions. The project was greenlighted and in May 2008, the European Migration Network was given a legal basis through the European Council Decision of 14 May 2008 establishing a European Migration Network.
Increasing harmonization of European asylum and migration policies reinforced the need for joint analyses of migration. The European Migration Network is one of the tools available to Member States and European institutions to gather objective, reliable and up-to-date information. A second important instrument is the application of the 11 July 2007 European Regulation CE 862/2007 on common statistics on migration and international protection.
EMN Belgium National Contact Point website
On the www.emnbelgium.be website you can find current information and publications about migration and asylum in Belgium and the EU, by EMN and other sources.
More on Belgium National Contact Point activities can be found in this presentation.
