Invitation conference, 24 April: 'Family Reunification in Europe and the Netherlands'

The EMN Netherlands Conference 2024 focuses on the topic of family reunification for beneficiaries of international protection. Practitioners, (inter)national experts and other interested parties are welcome to join.

Recent European case law effects the way EU Member States apply the EU Family reunification directive. At the EMN Netherlands Conference 2024, national and European experts will reflect on the approaches of their countries regarding family reunification procedures, the required means to demonstrate family ties and reunification with children. What are the positive and negative effects of different approaches, and are there any unforeseen consequences? Moreover, EMN Netherlands and EMN Belgium will present the results of the (soon to be published) EMN study, which examines and compares family reunification procedures in all participating Member States.

What to expect?

• EMN Netherlands and EMN Belgium present the EMN Study on family reunification for beneficiaries of international protection, including a comparative analysis of the family reunification process for beneficiaries of international protection in all participating Member States.
• National and European policy experts in the field of family reunification for beneficiaries of international protection share their insights into the different national procedures for submitting the family reunification application and recent changes due to EU case law.
• Professionals with ample experience in assessing documentation to establish family relations share their knowledge in an interactive session. 
• In the concluding panel discussion, experts from various countries and backgrounds (government, academia, ngo) reflect on the impact of EU case law on children involved in the family reunification procedure for beneficiaries of international protection.

The program will leave ample room for questions from the audience and networking.

Program

11.30-12.30 | Lunch, reception (registration opens at 11:00)

12.30-12.35 | Welcome

• Bahram Sadeghi, moderator

12.35-12.50 | Opening

• Jan Willem Schaper, Deputy Director-General (DG) of Strategy, Implementation Policy and Legal Affairs / Immigration and Naturalisation Service (IND)

12.50-13.10 | Presentation EMN Study 'Family reunification for beneficiaries of international protection'

• Pepijn Roos, Researcher / EMN Netherlands (IND)
• Christophe Van Hemelryck, Policy officer / EMN Belgium

13.10-14.10 | Approaches to submitting the application for family reunification for beneficiaries of international protection: pros and cons of different national practices

• Belgium: Astrid Declercq, Myria / Belgian Federal Migration Centre
• Italy: Mariella De Santis, Social Work Methodologist and Policy Officer  at the Central Directorate for Migration Policies / Asylum, Migration Integration Fund Authority, Ministry of the Interior
• Netherlands: Sulejman Imsirpasic, Senior Migration Officer / Asylum and Protection Department (IND)

14.10-14.30 | Break

14.30-14.45 | Interlude: France

• Tamara Buschek, Senior Policy Officer, EMN France
• Constance Lucas, Deputy Head of the Family Reunification Unit, Ministry of the Interior

14.45-15.15 | Interactive session: the provision of evidence to establish family relations, examples from a new approach

• Netherlands: Jeske Marijnissen, Senior Migration Officer / Asylum and Protection Department (IND)

15.15-16.15 | Expert panel ‘Children within the family reunification procedure for beneficiaries of international protection’: what has changed? What is the impact of EU case law?

• Hans Lemmens, national coordinator EMN Netherlands, moderator
• Dr Mark Klaassen, Assistant Professor at the Europa Institute / Leiden University
• Misha Jans, Protection Associate, UNHCR NL

16.15 - 16.30 | Closing remarks

16.30- 18.00 | Drinks

Please register here by 19 April at the latest. Seats are limited, be sure to register on time. Please note that this is an on-site conference (in person attendance only).

We are looking forward to welcoming you on April 24th in The Hague. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at EMNNetherlands@congresbureau.nl.