On 9 October during the European Week of Regions, Prof. Simone Baglioni, Project Coordinator of the Horizon 2020-funded project SIRIUS and Kerstin Wilde, Project Advisor in the Research Executive Agency (REA), guided the workshop ‘Migrants, Society, Inclusion: Yes we can’. The workshop elaborated on legal frameworks and the role of SIRIUS in relation to migrant integration as well as the activities carried out by NGOs to overcome obstacles facing migrants. The workshop acknowledged that migration has always existed and will continue to exist across borders, before moving the focus to the EU legal and national legal frameworks that condition the access of migrants into national labour markets and their integration into European societies. The European Commission’s newly released Migration and Asylum package was analysed and MEP Tineke Strik highlighted issues created by the proposal. Namely, that ‘there is no legal framework for middle and low skilled workers’, and that such a ‘missed opportunity’ could likely lead to an unregulated labour market. The consequences of which could also jeopardize migrants’ successful integration and risk their exploitation and that of their families. Whereas the role of NGOs in the integration process has been and continues to be invaluable, Solidarity Now held strategic interactive job fairs in a country context with low employment opportunities. Similarly, NGO CIAC Onlus carries out an effective job matching process and upskilling of migrants on behalf of large-scale international companies who then provide stable employment contracts for migrants. The strategies involved in overcoming obstacles were also discussed and Prof. Carmen Stadelhofer elaborated on the work of Danube Networkers for Europe; an organisation that is focusing on cross-border citizen engagement and supporting integration through local, regional and transnational activities. OECD, Interreg and the Horizon 2020-funded projects SIRIUS and MATILDE are focusing on place-based integration of migrants into local labour markets by centering on soft skills and trust within the local culture - notably in rural areas. The workshop also drove home the message that sustainable citizen engagement needs appropriate, long-term funding, anchored for 7 years in the Operational Programmes of the Structural Funds and other funding schemes, rather than an ad-hoc 1-2 years’ worth of funding. Such a system in place would enhance the transfer of knowledge and a more trustful environment in societies, which would undoubtedly help migrants in their overall integration. Read more and watch the workshop recording. Details Publication date27 October 2020AuthorEuropean Research Executive AgencyLocationBrussels
