Inter-disciplinary EU-project on migrant integration

The KING (Knowledge for Integration Governance) project, financed by the Commission, aims at developing an evidence-based analysis and policy recommendations of migrant integration for the future post-Stockholm programme. It is an inter-disciplinary project in the areas of EU law policies, political science, public administration, sociology and demographic and economic analysis. On February 17 Social Platform took part in a meeting where the project was presented.

Mr Stefano Manservisi, Director General of DG Home made an opening speech on how we will need more migrants in the future in light of demographics and labour market changes as well as an open and competitive economy. For this we need to be equipped and see integration as an asset; Firstly, we have the EU legislative framework in place but not yet a coherent concept; decisions at national level are not always compatible with EU law. We need to unlock the structural division between national competence and the EU by coordination for portability of rights within the EU. Secondly, even if integration is not a EU competence we need to see it as an economic investment for Europe and translate it into actions. Further, we need a change of thinking and narrative of economic growth.

Ms Guia Gilardoni, KING project explained how they aim for migrant integration through mainstreaming:

  1. Why: because of the long-term economic benefits; integration policies are weaker than labour market structures and there is an economic benefit of thinking of the population as a whole instead of ‘them and us’
  2. What: policy mainstreaming to access employment, education and services by collaboration between different DGs
  3. How: through open method of coordination and the principle of equality and equity (equity as a concept of fairness in the distribution of resources that has consequences on the procedures)

Krzystof Nowaezek, DG Employment spoke about the divergence between unemployment in southern member states (about 25%) vs. unemployment in centre/north member states (about 5%). The employment gap between 3rd country nationals and EU population is 10% and among high educated 15%. These figures show that we need more economic migrants, upgrade and use our human capital in Europe.  The EU 2020 Strategy’s reviewed this year is an opportunity to look at how these issues are considered in active labour market policies. Currently five member states have country specific recommendations on integration of migrants.

Yves Pascouau, European Policy Centre addressed that we need migrants and not only high skilled workers and 'we need to change the software' to adapt to the concept of one labour market. Regarding integration Mr Pascouau argued that the EU has competence considering e.g. its family reunification and long-term residence permit contributes to integration.

More information about the outcome's will be communicated further on in the project.

2014-02-19