Migration Policy Group Newsletter

MPG’s Dr. Carmine Conte quoted on Euronews

Last week, MPG’s Legal Policy Analyst, Dr. Carmine Conte was interviewed by Euronews on the lack of safe routes to Europe for people seeking asylum. No one should have to risk their life to claim asylum. Since 2014 shipwrecks, like the one near Pylos just a few weeks ago, have cost the lives of over 27,000 people. This loss of life is entirely preventable. People are resorting to smugglers because they have no other way to safely reach Europe.

INNOVATE project - MPG part of team winning EU grant to bridge the research-policy gap

Policies on migration and integration often lack an evidence base, and research results seldom get the attention from policymakers they deserve. To bridge this research-policy gap, from 2024 to 2027 the INNOVATE project will explore and test new ways of sharing research outputs with decision-makers and practitioners. It will bring together research and stakeholder partners under the leadership of the European University Institute.

As a partner in the INNOVATE project, MPG will continue its long-standing work on migrant entrepreneurship: Mig.En.Cube, NES and MEGA projects. MPG will work together with two European cities to help build comprehensive support systems at the local level. Evidence on what works in policies for migrant businesses to get started and grow will feed into concrete actions, piloting newly developed programmes in the two cities. MPG will also produce a toolkit based on how to effectively engage with different types of audiences in the policy dialogue.

World Youth Skills Day statement

"Everyone’s skills should be valued and given opportunities to grow. We, migrant youth, bring diverse skill sets that can stimulate innovation and respond to labour market needs. However, the unfortunate reality is that we are compelled to work below their skill levels."

For World Youth Skills Day the members of the EU Consultative Group for Young People with a Migration Background, which is facilitated by the Migration Policy Group, produced a statement.

New Whole-COMM Comparative Report

The Whole-COMM project, in which the Migration Policy Group is a partner, has published a comparative report on attitudes, intergroup relations, and migrant integration experiences in small- and medium-sized towns and rural areas.

The findings reveal a lack of intergroup interactions, but also shed light on the positive impact of work, education, and civil society activities in facilitating language skills, social networks, and better opportunities for migrants.Places that foster encounters and structured interactions, such as civil society initiatives, play a crucial role in promoting integration. While positive attitudes toward migrants exist, building meaningful relationships remains a challenge, particularly beyond volunteer efforts.

This Month's MIPEX Citations

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.

“Implications of migration policies on reducing income inequalities and poverty in Europe”

This article, by Monica Burescu Mihăila and Paula Roxana Cucoș, evaluates to what extent migration policies can successfully contribute to reducing income inequalities, as well as the risk of poverty among the migrant population in 30 European countries. Using MIPEX data the authors point out a robust link between labour market integration policies and a reduction in the level of poverty among the migrant population as a whole.

“Ukrainian refugee crisis management in the Local Health Authority Roma 1: the challenges of implementing public health policies and lessons learned”

This study describes evidence-based practices that were implemented and provides a detailed description of emerging problems and solutions pertaining to Ukrainian refugee assistance in the context of one of the biggest Local Health Authorities in Italy (LHA Roma 1). The experience of LHA Roma 1 helps shed light on the importance of leadership in emergency settings and how a dynamic relationship between policy and practice would allow each intervention to be modulated. The authors note that Public Private Partnerships, the creation of a centralized multicultural and multidisciplinary team and mutually beneficial collaboration with the local Ukrainian community were essential to guarantee the success of all operations.