In June 2016, the European Commission presented an Action Plan on the Integration of Third-Country Nationals which sets out 50 actions to support EU Member States and other actors in their effort to foster migrant integration. In addition to five key thematic areas, further proposals aim at enhancing coordination, the use of funding and monitoring.
This page presents the progress in the implementation of the 2016 action plan. Outputs are listed alongside the action plan point that they fulfil and categorised by thematic area.
Acting before a migrant or refugee has arrived in a Member State can significantly accelerate and improve integration. For the newcomer, having a base level of understanding of the new home, its language, culture and people before departure can ensure realistic expectations and rapid integration. For receiving communities, pre-arrival measures can contribute to overcome prejudices and foster a welcoming attitude. No Action plan point has so far been implemented.
Education and training are among the most powerful tools for integration. Language knowledge, the acquisition of basic skills and an understanding of the laws, culture and values of the receiving society is the foundation for further learning and the gateway to employment and social inclusion. Equipping educators with the necessary skills to prevent educational segregation and to harness education as a fundamental tool for the integration of families and children from third countries is also a pillar of social inclusion. Since June 2016 the EU has implemented the following actions:
Policies
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Promote the upskilling of low-skilled and low-qualified persons in the context of the New Skills Agenda for Europe | Council Recommendation on Upskilling - completed On 19 December 2016, the Council adopted the recommendation Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults (formerly the Skills Guarantee). Member States are to adopt implementation measures by mid-2018. |
Improve transparency and understanding of qualifications acquired in third-countries, through the revision of the European Qualifications Framework | EQF Revision - completed The Commission put forward a proposal for the revision of the European Qualifications Framework (with an accompanying roadmap) to enable a better understanding of qualifications and to make better use of all available skills in the European labour market. The revision was adopted by the Council on 22 May 2017. |
Resources
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Develop a "Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals" under the New Skills Agenda for Europe to support timely identification of skills and qualifications | Skills Profile Tool - completed The final Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals was launched on 13 November 2017, after a 5 month test period. The tool will support early profiling of the skills and qualifications of asylum seekers, refugees and other migrants. |
Provide Erasmus+ online language assessment and learning | Online Language learning - completed Since the summer 2016, licenses have been made available on the Online Language Service (OLS) portal allowing National agencies and Third County Nationals to access online language assessment and learning. A dedicated OLS site for refugees has also been created. |
Provide support to teachers and school staff on how to promote inclusive education and address specific needs of migrant learners through online courses and professional development activities | Exchange of practices between teachers - completed The School Education Gateway created a webpage in July 2016 to facilitate the exchange of good practice between teachers to support integration of newcomers in schools. Toolkit for Schools - completed The European Toolkit for Schools was launched in 22 EU languages. The toolkit promotes inclusiveness and integration of migrant children and families in the mainstream education. Courses for Teachers - completed Free online courses were created and made available on the School Education Gateway for teachers. The courses cover Cultural diversity in the classroom, awareness-raising about the situation of newly arrived migrants and the integration of newcomer students. Platform for Teachers - completed An e-twinning platform allows for mutual support and the exchange of good practices in relation to integration and inclusion amongst a growing community of teachers. |
Improve the recognition of academic qualifications of third country nationals | Toolkit for Qualifications Recognition - completed The Erasmus+/ENIC-NARIC project Toolkit for Recognition for Refugees will ran from June 2016 to March 2018. The Toolkit aimed to allow for better recognition of higher education of refugees. Manual on Qualifications Recognition - completed Publication of a mini EAR (European Area of Recognition) manual with a specific focus on the recognition of qualifications held by refugees. |
Mutual Learning
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Support peer learning events for national and regional authorities | Peer Learning on Reception - completed A Peer Learning Activity (PLA) was held in Stockholm from 5 to 7 April 2016 on the Reception of Newly Arrived Immigrants and assessment of previous schooling. Read the report Peer Learning: UAM - completed A PLA was held in Dresden from 31 May to 2 June 2016 on the topic of Language assessment and integration of unaccompanied minors through education. Read the report |
Improve the recognition of academic qualifications of third country nationals | Peer Learning on Recognition of Qualifications - completed Peer learning activity with national recognition offices (ENICs and NARICs) on 10 May 2017 on the recognition of academic qualifications held by asylum seekers and refugees. |
Funding
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Create European Policy Networks for researchers, practitioners, local/regional decision-makers to share good practices | Policy Network - completed A four-year Erasmus+ Framework Partnership Agreement between the European policy network on migrant education - SIRIUS and the European Commission is operational since September 2017. The Agreement is focused on the education of children and young people with a migrant background. |
Fund transnational projects and partnerships to support inclusive education, training and youth under Erasmus+ | Erasmus+ Social Inclusion - completed 6 projects for youth were selected and funded under the call Social inclusion through Education, Training and Youth in May 2016. |
Employment is a core part of the integration process. Facilitating integration into the labour market, through employment or vocational training, is a mutually beneficial endeavour for migrants and host countries. For migrants, finding a job is fundamental to become part of the host country's economic and social life. Their labour market integration can also help to meet the growing needs for specific skills in the EU and to enhance the sustainability of Member States welfare systems. The Action Plan's recommended actions seek to facilitate integration by targeting specific issues and groups.
Policies
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Improve outreach activities towards young vulnerable NEETs | Youth Guarantee - completed Publication of an EC Communication and accompanying Staff Working Document (SWD Part 1 and Part 2) on the implementation of the Youth Guarantee (YG) and the operation of the Youth Employment Initiative in October 2016. It examines measures taken by Member States to improve outreach activities towards vulnerable NEETs (Not in Education, Employment, or Training), including those with a migrant background, within their national YG schemes. Europass - completed In April 2018, EU Member States adopted the Commission's proposal to revise the Europass framework. The revision, which aims at simplifying and modernising the Europass CV and other skills tools, will enable people across the EU – including third-country nationals - to make their skills and qualifications more visible, and will help policy makers to anticipate labour market needs and trends. |
Resource
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Promote sharing of promising practices on labour market integration through existing networks and programmes | PES Network - completed Key considerations of the Public Employment Services (PES) on the labour market integration of refugees were endorsed by the Network’s board in June 2016. Read the report EMCO opinion - completed The Employment Committee adopted an opinion on labour-market integration of refugees including policy orientations which was endorsed by the June 2017 Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer Affairs (EPSCO) Council. Integration in Rural Areas - completed Publication in August 2016 of an European Network for Rural Development (ENRD) Projects Brochure on migrant and refugee integration. |
Develop an online repository of promising practices on the labour market integration of asylum seekers and refugees | Promising Practices Repository - completed Online repository of promising practices on labour market integration and social inclusion of asylum seekers and refugees launched in June 2016, as a source for national policy makers. The webpage is a living tool updated as and when new information is provided by Member States. |
Identify best practices to promote and support migrant entrepreneurship and fund pilot projects for their dissemination | Migrant Entrepreneurship Guidebook - completed Publication of a guidebook in August 2016 on the evaluation and analysis of good practices in promoting and supporting migrant entrepreneurship. |
Promote sharing of promising practices on integration into VET and peer learning through the European Pact for Youth, Erasmus+, Education and Training 2010 | VET Best Practices - completed Publication of a guidebook in August 2016 on the evaluation and analysis of good practices in promoting and supporting migrant entrepreneurship. Publication of eight inspiring practices on integration into VET and peer learning on the website of DG Education and Culture:
|
Continue to analyse integration outcomes of third country nationals in the framework of the European Semester | European Semester 2017 - completed In February 2017, the Commission published country reports in the frame of the European Semester, with a focus on the education, labour market and social situation of persons with a migrant background. In May 2017, the Commission proposed country specific Recommendations which were adopted by the Council in July of the same year. The Recommendations, as adopted by the Council, can be found here. |
Match refugees and asylum seekers with a scientific background with suitable positions in universities and research institutions in the EU | Science4Refugee - completed The Science4Refugee initiative and accompanying portal allows refugees and asylum seekers with a scientific background to connect with receptive scientific institutions. |
Mutual Learning
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Promote sharing of promising practices on labour market integration through existing networks and programmes | Labour Market Integration Asylum Seekers & Refugees - completed A Mutual Learning Programme (MLP) thematic event on measures to support the integration of asylum seekers and refugees was held in Brussels on 22 June 2016. The results of this conference were shared at the annual MLP dissemination conference on the value of mutual learning for policy making in Brussels on 9 December 2016. Week of Regions & Cities - completed A workshop was held by the European Commission on challenges and opportunities for labour market integration of Third Country Nationals at DG REGIO’s Week of Regions and Cities on 12 October 2016. |
Promote sharing of promising practices on integration into Vocational Education and Training (VET) and peer learning through European Alliance for Apprenticeships | VET Working Group - completed From 2016 to 2018, an Education & Training 2020 working group on teachers and trainers in work-based learning worked on the integration of migrants in Vocational Education and Training. Apprenticeships - completed A meeting of the European Alliance of Apprenticeships (EAfA) on 15 September 2016 included a workshop on migration titled 'Integration of migrants and refugees through work-based learning and apprenticeships'. |
Funding
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Fund projects promoting fast track insertion into labour market and vocational training of refugees and of women through EaSI & AMIF | EaSI call - completed A call for proposals was published in December 2016 under the Employment and Social Innovation (EaSI) programme to support the fast-track labour market integration of asylum seekers, refugees and their family members. Information on the 5 selected projects can be found here (call reference number: VP/2016/015) |
Provide funding to strengthen capacity of municipalities and local authorities on reception and integration practices for refugees | Training Local Authorities - completed A call for tenders for the provision of training to first-line health professionals and law enforcement agents was published in 2016. After the selection of the service provider and a pilot phase in 10 Member States, training started in 33 countries began in March 2018. |
Identify best practices to promote and support migrant entrepreneurship and fund pilot projects for their dissemination | Young Migrants Entrepreneurship - completed A GROW 2016 call for proposals on Entrepreneurial capacity building for young migrants focusing on training and mentoring was opened in September 2016. COSME - completed A COSME call for proposals for Migrant Entrepreneurship support schemes aiming to support networking and collaborations between organisations working in the field was launched in September 2016. |
Social Innovation Competition to award innovations in products, technologies, services and models that can support integration | Social Innovation Competition - completed On 27 October 2016, three projects – The Machine to be Another, CUCULA and Project Virtuous Triangle – supporting the integration of refugees and migrants were awarded. Read more |
Access to services is an important condition for Third Country Nationals to start a life and integrate into a new society. Affordable housing and access to healthcare are the two priorities addressed in the Action Plan.
Policies
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Promote peer learning among Member States on how to address housing challenges | Urban Agenda Partnership - completed The Urban Agenda Partnership on the inclusion of migrants and refugees selected housing as one of its four priority themes in August 2016 and held a conference on housing & reception for refugees on 10 & 11 November 2016. |
Resource
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Support best practices in care provision for vulnerable third country nationals and refugees under the Health Programme. | Personal Health Record - completed A Direct Grant Agreement was signed with the World Health Organization on migration and Health Knowledge Management. Three projects focusing on vulnerable migrants were selected under a call for proposal, for a total of 2.5 million €. |
Funding
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Promote the use of EU funds for reception, education, housing, health and social infrastructures for third country nationals | |
Strengthen cooperation with the European Investment Bank, to provide funding for temporary accommodation and health facilities for newly arrived third country nationals and social housing. | EIB Funding - completed As of early January 2017, seven loans have been approved by the EIB Board, for a total of EUR 1.36bn, enabling the implementation of projects supporting accommodation and housing for more than 370,000 refugees and asylum seekers. Finance contracts amounting to EUR 720M had already been signed, representing over half of the approved loan. |
Support best practices in care provision for vulnerable third country nationals and refugees under the Health Programme. | Health Programme Funding - completed Three projects were funded under the Health Programme: 'Strengthen Community Based Care to minimize health inequalities and improve the integration of vulnerable migrants and refugees into local communities' and 'Operational Refugee and Migrant Maternal Approach' and 'Direct Grant Agreement with the World Health Organization'. Training Health Professionals 2 contracts have been awarded under a call for tenders published in 2016 for the provision of training to first-line health professionals and law enforcement agents:
|
Integration is about playing an active role in the local, regional and national community, and integration policy is about developing and sustaining real people-to-people contacts. In this context, volunteering, sport and cultural activities can be particularly effective in fostering exchanges between migrants and host communities. Policies should therefore promote a positive approach on diversity, ensure equal rights and freedom for all, and fight discrimination.
Policies
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Address xenophobia by raising awareness and promoting best practices on countering xenophobic acts and speech | High Level Group Intolerance - completed An EU High Level Group on combating racism, xenophobia and other forms of intolerance was launched on 14 June 2016 in Brussels. |
Develop handbooks and toolboxes for practitioners on cultural awareness and expression; intercultural dialogue; active participation and youth work | Intercultural Dialogue - completed A working group on 'improving intercultural dialogue in the context of the migratory and refugee crisis' was adopted in November 2016 for a one year mandate. A 2-year expert group on 'fostering the contribution of culture to social inclusion' is further active since 2017. Both operate within the framework of the second Work Plan for Culture. In the context of these groups, several tools were developed and studies carried out:
|
Resource
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Develop handbooks and toolboxes for practitioners on cultural awareness and expression; intercultural dialogue; active participation and youth work | Handbook on Cultural Awareness - completed The Handbook on Cultural Awareness and Expression drafted by members of the national expert group was published as part of the European Agenda for Culture. Read more Sport - completed In September 2016, a study mapping of good practices relating to social inclusion of migrants through sport was released |
Address xenophobia by raising awareness and promoting best practices on countering xenophobic acts and speech | Online Hate Speech - completed The Code of Conduct on countering illegal online hate speech was adopted on 31 May 2016. Results from the most recent monitoring on its implementation (Jan 2018) show that ethnic origin (17.1 %), anti-Muslim hatred (16.4 %) and xenophobia (16 %) are the most commonly reported grounds of hate speech, confirming the predominance of racist hatred against ethnic minorities, migrants and refugees. |
Create a one-stop-shop webpage to provide information on the relevant EU funding supporting tolerance and combatting discrimination | One-Stop-Shop Funding on Tolerance - completed A dedicated website was launched on 14 June 2016 to provide information on relevant EU funding for projects that promote tolerance and combat racism, xenophobia and discrimination. |
Fund projects to disseminate and replicate good practices promoting social inclusion at grass-root level, under Erasmus+ | Erasmus+ Funding - completed Six projects aimed at disseminating and replicating good practices at grass-root level were selected and funded through a call for proposals under Social inclusion through Education, Training and Youth. |
Mutual Learning
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Launch projects to promote Intercultural dialogue and European values through culture, films and arts | Voices of Culture - completed As a structured dialogue between the European Commission and the cultural sector, Voices of Culture promotes exchanges on intercultural dialogues through culture in shared public spaces and the arts. It is part of by the Creative Europe programme. |
Funding
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Fund projects promoting third country nationals’ participation in political, social and cultural life under AMIF | AMIF Active Participation - completed An AMIF call promoting active participation of migrants in political, social and cultural life was opened in December 2016. |
Fund a network of towns, town-twinning and civil society projects on civic participation, under the Europe for Citizens Programme | Europe for Citizens - completed Call for projects by the Europe for Citizens programme aimed at combatting stigmatisation of immigrants and building counter narratives to foster intercultural dialogue and mutual understanding, as a priority. Results |
Promote projects that deal with the integration of refugees under the European Voluntary Service | European Voluntary Service - completed 235 projects funded by Erasmus+ programme that involve European Voluntary Service - EVS - activities have addressed the concerns of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers. |
Fund projects on preventing and combating racism and xenophobia, initiatives to create better understanding between communities and projects and EU NGOs combatting discrimination | Rights Equality Citizenship - completed Evaluation is ongoing for the 2016 Rights Equality and Citizenship - REC call for capacity building of national authorities and civil society. Projects proposals aimed to create better understanding between communities and prevent and combat racism and xenophobia through interreligious and intercultural activities, awareness raising activities, campaigns and grassroots projects. |
Fund transnational cultural and audio-visual projects to support refugee integration, under Creative Europe | Creative Europe 2016 - completed 12 projects were selected under the Creative Europe 2016 Special Call Support for refugee integration which objectives were to:
Creative Europe 2017 The 2017 Creative Europe call for proposals to support European cooperation projects was launched in November 2016. Relevant projects concerning refugee integration were also eligible. |
Launch projects to promote social inclusion through youth and sport under Erasmus+ | Youth/Sport Erasmus+ Call - completed 11 projects were selected and funded under call for proposals aimed at promoting Health-Enhancing Physical Activity for refugees. Projects will be implemented in 2017. |
An important part of the Action Plan focuses on strengthened cooperation among integration actors, as well as on the use of integration indicators and EU funds for integration.
Policies
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Enhance coordination and strategic alignment of all relevant EU funding instruments to increase the impact of the overall EU support | European Regional Development Fund - completed The European Commission made proposals under the Common Provisions regulation to make migration and asylum horizontal priorities under the European structural and investment funds, to add a dedicated Investment Priority in the European Regional Development Fund Regulation to support the reception and social and economic integration of migrants and refugees, and to include new indicators on housing and other infrastructure developments, where migrants may benefit. |
Resource
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Further develop evidence on integration at EU level, including through monitoring integration outcomes at local level | EC-OECD Study - completed A joint EC-OECD analytical paper on labour market integration of refugees was published Additional publications may be found here. ESDE Report - completed The 2016 Employment and Social Developments in Europe review included a chapter on labour market and social integration of refugees. Country Studies Labour Market Integration - completed Publication of several country studies and a synthesis study on labour market integration of asylum seekers and refugees conducted by the European Employment Policy Observatory. EMN study - completed Publication of an EMN study on the Integration of beneficiaries of international/humanitarian protection into the labour market: policies and good practices |
Enhance coordination and strategic alignment of all relevant EU funding instruments to increase the impact of the overall EU support | EU funds Toolkit - completed In January 2018, a Toolkit on the use of EU funds for the integration of people with a migrant background was published to support Member States in reinforcing the synergies between the EU funds. |
Mutual Learning
| Action Plan Point | Output |
|---|---|
Strengthen the Network of the National Contact Points on Integration and transform it into a "European Integration Network" promoting mutual learning | European Integration Network - completed The European Integration Network was launched on 11-12 October 2016. Several mutual learning activities took place in 2017, including study visits to Germany and Sweden as well as a meeting in Estonia. More than 10 Member States were involved in each meeting. |
Promote cooperation between different levels of governance, including the regional and local level, through the EU Urban Agenda Partnership | Urban Agenda Partnership - completed The Partnership on the integration of migrants and refugees was launched in March 2016. An action plan was developed with eight concrete actions to promote better funding, regulation and knowledge in the field of integration. The Partnership has now been extended until June 2019 to allow more time for the successful completion of the actions. Updates are published on the Partnership website. |
Reinforce cooperation through dedicated exchanges and visits with responsible national authorities across the relevant EU Funds | Rural Development Funding - completed Presentations relating to migration were made to the 34th Rural Development Committee on 20 July 2016 to provide guidance and good practice examples such as the 'ESIF Coordination: Migration in Finland' made by the Managing Authority of the Finish Rural Development Programme. Rural Development Conference - completed The European Conference on Rural Development Cork 2.0 took place from 5 to 6 September 2016 and covered the future agriculture and rural development policy adopted the Cork Declaration, which includes reference to rural potential in the integration of migrants. |
Strengthen the involvement of all relevant actors, in the context of the partnership principle and shared responsibility | ESF Cooperation Network - completed Several meetings of the European Social Fund Transnational Thematic Network on Migrants were held in Brussels between 2016 and 2017. Relevant documentation |