The Integration Fund has been created by Council Decision (2007/435/EC) of 25 June 2007 on proposal of the European Commission (COM (2005) 0123 final.) within the new framework programme on Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows for the period 2007-2013. The general objective of the Integration Fund will be to contribute to national efforts to provide a response to the multidimensional issue of integration of third-country nationals and to create a new form of solidarity in order to support the efforts of Member States in enabling third-country nationals of different cultural, religious, linguistic and ethnic backgrounds to settle and take actively part in all aspects of European societies.

For this purpose the Fund will support the development of national integration strategies and action plans which take into account the common basic principles for immigrant integration in the European Union as agreed by the Council and the representatives of the governments of the Member States, the coordination of national integration policies and the promotion of structural exchange of experiences, best practices and information on integration. The Commission has proposed an allocation of EUR 825 million for the period 2007-2013.