Welcome to the June 2025 Edition of the MPG Newsletter!
As summer begins, Europe stands at a crossroads on migration and inclusion. The focus is moving beyond emergency response toward sustainable, rights-based policies that enable real integration, access to education, and legal security. At MPG, we continue to provide the research and policy insights needed to shape inclusive, forward-looking responses.
We open this edition with our 30th anniversary series, which continues with reflections from leaders in institutions, politics, and civil society. Their insights speak to both the challenges ahead and the shared values needed to advance equality and democratic principles across Europe.
At the European Parliament, the SIRIUS network launched the Migrant Education Policy Index, developed by MPG, offering a comparative overview of how 15 EU countries support migrant learners. The Index is already informing key policy conversations across the EU.
We also welcomed a landmark EU Court ruling confirming that caregivers bringing children to safety cannot be criminalised for doing so.
In parallel, our final MINTE policy brief calls for a shift from temporary protection to durable integration for Ukrainian refugees who remain in the EU.
Marking World Refugee Day, MPG reaffirmed its call for rights-based return policies. Through the FAIR project, we published new analysis exposing key gaps in transparency and safeguards across 24 return and readmission agreements.
In June, our 30th anniversary series features voices working at the heart of efforts to strengthen rights, equality, and democratic values across Europe. Through their leadership in institutions, politics, and civil society, these contributors offer clear reflections on where we stand, and what remains to be done. With depth, conviction, and long-standing commitment, they remind us that meaningful change depends on sustained action and collective responsibility. This month, we’re proud to share the insights of:
On 3 June, SIRIUS Network and MPG brought together policymakers and experts in Brussels to present a new evidence-based tool. The Migrant Education Policy Index compares how 15 EU countries support migrant learners. It highlights both promising practices and areas where urgent progress is needed. The launch marked a key step toward more inclusive and equitable education systems across Europe.
The EU Court has ruled that caregivers bringing children into the EU cannot be criminalised for doing so. The case involved a woman prosecuted in Italy for helping her daughter and niece enter the country. The Court found this violated fundamental rights under the EU Charter. MPG calls the ruling a vital safeguard against the unjust criminalisation of care and solidarity.
As part of the MINTE project, MPG has released a final policy brief on migrant integration. It draws lessons from Central and Eastern Europe to inform EU-level action. The brief responds to the Commission’s proposal to move past temporary protection. A timely contribution towards more stable, long-term solutions for Ukrainian refugees.
From Brussels to Girona, MPG has been on the move. At the final conference of the ReRoot project, Dr Mojib Atal shed light on how informal networks help refugees navigate life in a new country. Meanwhile, in Girona, Dr Başak Yavçan held several sessions with researchers, students and civil society organisations to present and reflect on MIPEX, integration trends, and how policy can better serve people on the ground.
To mark World Refugee Day, MPG highlighted ongoing work from the FAIR project examining return and readmission policies. Our latest working paper maps 24 agreements, analysing how they function and where safeguards may be lacking.
The Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) is a unique tool which measures integration policies in 56 countries across 8 policy areas. It provides up-to-date, comprehensive research data and analysis on which to base policies, proposals for change and projects.
In June 2025, it was featured in the European Educational Research Journal.
