1. THESIM Towards Harmonised European Statistics on International Migration Project financed by the 6th Framework Research Programme of the European Union Statistics on international migration and asylum in Belgium Nicolas Perrin

2. Situation in terms of migration statistics Belgium has efficient administrative databases We should be able to produce most indicators However, until recently: –Potentially available data, but statistics are often neither produced nor published –Harmonisation was not a priority

3. Recent efforts in terms of improvement and harmonisation Efforts were done to improve the situation –By Statistics Belgium –By Immigration Service (Office des Etrangers) –… It will take time … … but first results

4. Some results…

5. Foreigners and Belgian citizens, 1.1.2005

6. Foreigners by country of citizenship, 1.1.2005

8. Immigrations and emigrations of foreigners, 1975-2004

9. Immigrations and emigrations of foreigners by citizenship 1975-2004

10. Evolution of the number of foreigners, 1948-2005

11. Evolution of the number of foreigners by main citizenship, 1962-2005

12. Acquisitions of citizenship

13. 8% of foreigners (1.1.2005)

14. 15% of foreigners and Belgian citizens by acquisition (1.1.2005)

15. Foreigners and Belgian citizens by acquisition and citizenship of origin

16. New asylum applications, 1988-2005

17. Citizenship of new applicants

18. Lessons from the Belgium example: –Statistics are useful to understand the migration process –It is possible to improve those statistics –Further efforts are needed

19. THESIM Towards Harmonised European Statistics on International Migration Thank you Project financed by the 6th Framework Research Programme of the European Union

20. THESIM Towards Harmonised European Statistics on International Migration Press conference Project financed by the 6th Framework Research Programme of the European Union When? 30th March 2006 at 10:30 Where? Résidence Palace (lecture room, ground floor) rue de la Loi, 155 Brussels Who? - Michel Poulain (Unviersité catholique de Louvain) - Ann Singleton (University of Bristol) - Nicolas Perrin (Université catholique de Louvain)