Press:

Press release, 11 September 2006

Helping local authorities to integrate migrants

The increasing number of workers migrating within the European Union has put the integration issue high on the policy agenda of national and local policymakers. To support the social and economic integration and full participation of migrants, especially at local level, the European Foundation is launching the Network of Cities for Local Integration Policy (CLIP).

The economic, social and cultural integration of migrants represents both a challenge and an opportunity for all Member States of the European Union. Many of the challenges have to be dealt with at local level. Cities and local authorities have a vital role to play not only in the implementation of integration policies but also in the development of innovative policies on housing, education and cultural diversity. In order to support cities to implement their local integration policies successfully, the European Foundation, the Council of Europe and the City of Stuttgart have jointly set up the network of Cities for Local Integration Policy (CLIP). The network will be launched by Councillor Vincent Jackson, Lord Mayor of Dublin, Dr Wolfgang Schuster, Mayor of Stuttgart, and Dick Roche TD, Irish Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government.

The CLIP network brings together 25 large European cities in a joint learning process which will extend over several years. It aims to support the social and economic integration and full participation of migrants, to combat social inequalities and discrimination of migrants, to create conditions leading to peaceful coexistence between migrants and the native population and to help migrants to preserve their own cultural identity.

‘Past experiences have taught us that any immigration policy has to be accompanied by a coherent and well-resourced integration policy, including proper placement, adequate acquisition of knowledge and cultural standards, and close interaction with the receiving society,’ says Willy Buschak, the Foundation’s Deputy Director. ‘The CLIP network seeks to fill a gap in the analysis and evaluation of recent efforts by local authorities to coordinate their activities and learn from each other, and contributes to the European Commission’s efforts to coordinate European integration policy between the Member States.”

The cities are supported in their peer review process by a group of expert European research centres in Oxford, Vienna, Liege, Amsterdam and Bamberg. The scientific support should enable cities to evaluate their policies, to understand what works and to avoid mistakes made in other cities. This initiative will provide useful opportunities for cities in the European Union, which are in the start-up phase of new integration policies.