Information about the project
In times of global economic and political instability the current refugee inflow towards Europe intensifies putting the highest proportion at the EU southern external borders. However, often these migration routes are used by migrants as a “transit” channel for reaching other EU countries, such as the UK, Germany, The Netherlands, etc. On the other hand, the governments of the receiving countries experience difficulties in dealing with mixed migration flows and lack specific national capacities and resources to deal with foreign populations.
The European Agenda for the Integration of Third-Country Nationals states that effective solutions to integration challenges must be found in each national and local context but as these challenges are common to many member states, experiences could be shared. With regard to this it stresses the importance of cooperation between stakeholders at EU level and sets the recommendation for “exchange of practice and policy coordination in the areas of employment, education and social policies”.
There is already a framework for EU cooperation on integration through the Common Basic Principles for Immigrant Integration Policy in the European Union (http://www.eesc.europa.eu/resources/docs/common-basic-principles_en.pdf). They place the importance of EU initiatives in the field of integration on the access to employment, acquisition of basic knowledge of the host society’s language, history and institutions, efforts in education, equal access to institutions, goods and services and non discrimination.
Aims and outcomes
The DREAM project will aim to support the realization of the EU priorities and policies on migrant integration through researching, identifying and exchanging good practices and experiences which address the Common Basic Principles for Immigrant Integration Policy in the European Union (CBP).
The project objectives cover:
– To develop and disseminate a comprehensive database of successful and effective practices and initiatives at EU level addressing all key areas for a successful integration based on the CBP
– To support migrants in their preparedness to adapt in the host society
– To improve the readiness of key actors and facilitators of migrant integration in the host communities to meet the needs of diverse populations
– To contribute to the improvement of the capacity and expertise of the authorities responsible for integration in countries playing the role of “transit” channels to other EU countries through exchange of good practices
– To build a European-wide network of practitioners developing national and European initiatives focused on key aspects of migrant integration and to enrich their expertise
– To foster the exchange of experience at EU level and enhance the dissemination and exploitation potential of existing projects focused on migrant integration
DREAM is set up as a network project involving 10 organisations from 9 EU countries with imminent needs for reinforcement of migrant integration strategies, policies and practices. The project will exchange experience on all priority areas for migrant integration and spread results of successful initiatives through a EU-wide network of stakeholders.
