The New EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion
Last Updated: 25 January 2021
by Abriel SCHIEFFELERS
The New Action Plan and AMIF Funding
On November 24th, the Commission released the new action plan on Integration and Inclusion for the period 2021-2027. A video explaining the most important aspects of the plan can be found here.
The European Commission is also now accepting applications for funding through AMIF to support the integration of third-country nationals. Six separate calls address reducing obstacles to access of services, support for victims of trafficking, migrant children's transition to adulthood, and participation of migrants in integration policies. The topics of the calls include the following:
-Promoting the participation of migrants in the design and implementation of integration policies
-Address assistance, support and integration of third-country national victims of trafficking in human beings
-Developing and implementing local integration strategies through multi-stakeholder partnerships
-Promoting complementary pathways for people in need of protection and their further integration
-Reducing obstacles and promoting access to basic services for third country nationals
-Migrant children’s transition to adulthood
These calls close on February 16th 2021 and can be found here.
The Salvation Army’s view
The Salvation Army is pleased to see that the plan builds on and complements the Gender Equality Strategy, the EU anti-racism action plan, and the EU Roma Strategic Framework, amongst other key strategies. The challenges faced by migrant women in particular seem to be taken seriously and their needs recognised as important to address in integration programmes. The plan also aims to combat the direct and indirect discrimination faced by migrants in all areas of life, including in education, communities and neighborhoods, and at work.
The action plan, amongst other topics, addresses the need for access to housing and national laws against housing discrimination. It also acknowledges the need to ensure education and training, and that pre-existing skills and certifications are recognised and able to be transferred. The Commission’s plan to support capacity-building of national, regional, and local authorities to involve migrants and migrant organisations in decision-making processes is one notable success of the action plan. The proposed Multiannual Financial Framework also ensures funding throughout the migration process, from prior to arrival in the EU to resettlement and beyond.
The implementation of the plan by member states is crucial to ensuring that migrants are well integrated in welcoming communities. Civil society organisations, communities, and national governments now need to adapt the plan to their context, utilise the funds provided, and design policies and programmes that take into account the diverse needs of migrants throughout their migration journey.
While the plan sets admirable goals, the rollout of the action plan is in the hands of member states to design policies and programmes around these core objectives. The Salvation Army is concerned that member states will fail to prioritise several of these objectives, including robust intersectional approaches towards migrants who are most at risk of discrimination and lack of access to education and the labor market, including women and migrants with disibilities.
It is therefore important that the action plan is closely monitored, and that success and failures are reported on in order to ensure accountability. The monitoring plan, which aims to build up reliable evidence on the outcomes and impact of integration policies, will hopefully provide a necessary evidence-based framework on which to further develop policy in this area. However, as noted in the action plan, there are a number of challenges that prevent data gathering that need to be overcome in order to do so.
The Salvation Army and other civil society organisations can mobilise to advocate for the implemetation of the action plan on the national level.
How The Salvation Army can help to implement the action plan:
1) Appeal to local and national governments to allocate funds to grassroots programmes working in migrant communities
2) Call on national governments to utilise capacity building EU initiatives to ensure migrants’ involvement in the decision-making process
3) Apply for funding available from AMIF as well as national funding to establish or enhance pre-existing migrant integration programmes
4) Explore partnerships with other organisations who are working on humanitarian corridors and other innovative integration programmes
Commission presents action plan on Integration and Inclusion: https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_20_2178
Tags: Europe