Nicole de Moor State Secretary for Asylum and Migration

Belgian Federal Government

Ministerial Conference on the Implementation and Operationalization of

the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration

29-30 April 2024

SAVE THE DATE Dear colleagues, I have the pleasure to invite you to a Ministerial Conference on the Implementation and Operationalization of the EU Pact on Asylum and Migration. This conference will take place on 29-30 April 2024 in Ghent, Belgium. Would you be so kind as to mark this important event in your calendars? As indicated during previous Council meetings, following the formal adoption of the Pact, the Belgian Presidency intends to intensify discussions on implementation and operationalization. We are of the view that this historical reform should not only be agreed upon on paper, but should also fundamentally change the way in which we deal with migration and asylum on the ground, at the borders, and within our territories. The urgency to start the discussions on the implementation was highlighted by many of your ambassadors during the Coreper meeting of 8 February that gave final endorsement to the 10 texts of the Pact. By bringing together the European Commission, Home Affairs / Migration Ministers from EU Member States and Schengen Associated Countries and representatives of the relevant agencies, the Conference will provide a forum for exploring how and when the Pact can and should be operationalized. The goals of the conference are to have a clear overview of what was agreed and define, where possible, the building blocks of what should be commonly put into operation, the resources that will be needed, the roles and responsibilities of all actors (Member States, Commission, Agencies, Council), the time lines, deliverables, and milestones. Although it will be the European Commission that will have the main responsibility of overseeing the implementation process, the Member States and the Council also have a clear role to play in order to commonly take ownership of this process and to live up to our joint commitment. This is a common, European, challenge. An official invitation, Practical Information Note and programme will follow soon. The Conference is planned as a physical meeting, the format for Member States being 1+2. We would appreciate an early indication of Minister’s availability to attend the Conference. Any questions can be addressed to [email protected]. Nicole de Moor,

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