4.14.3.1. Developing and updating integration strategies
The arrival of persons in need of temporary protection prompted many countries to quickly establish dedicated integration programmes and make additional funding available. This was seen in particular in Member States near Ukraine, such as Czechia,See for example: European Website on Integration. (2022, March 25). Czech Republic: Extraordinary grants procedure for integration services. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/czech-republic-extraordin… European Website on Integration. (2022, April 11). Czech Republic: Funding opportunity for integration initiatives at the local level. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/czech-republic-funding-op…; European Website on Integration. (2023, May 16). Czech Republic: New funding opportunities for initiatives promoting the integration and education of children fleeing Ukraine. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/czech-republic-new-fundin… Poland,Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights | Helsińska Fundacja Praw Człowieka. (2023). Input to the Asylum Report 2023. https://euaa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/2023-02/helsinki_foundation_… SlovakiaEuropean Website on Integration. (2022, September 14`). Slovakia: New strategy adopted for the integration of refugees from Ukraine. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/slovakia-new-strategy-ado…; European Website on Integration. (2022, March 17). Slovakia adopts package of legislative changes to facilitate integration of those fleeing Ukraine. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/slovakia-adopts-package-l… and Romania.Government of Romania | Guvernul României. (2022, June 2). Informaţie de Presă privind actele normative aprobate în ședința Guvernului României din 2 iunie 2022 [Press release on the legislative acts approved at the Romanian Government meeting of 2 June 2022]. https://gov.ro/ro/guvernul/sedinte-guvern/informatie-de-presa-privind-a…; Government of Romania | Guvernul României. (2022, June 29). Informaţie de Presă privind actele normative aprobate în ședința Guvernului României din 29 iunie 2022 [Press Release on the legislative acts approved at the Romanian Government meeting of 29 June 2022]. https://gov.ro/ro/guvernul/sedinte-guvern/informatie-de-presa-privind-a…; Ordonanță de urgență nr. 100 din 29 iunie 2022privind aprobarea și implementarea Planului național de măsuri cu privire la protecția și incluziunea persoanelor strămutate din Ucraina, beneficiare de protecție temporară în România, precum și pentru modificarea și completarea unor acte normative [Emergency Ordinance No 100 of 29 June 2022 approving and implementing the National Plan of Measures on the Protection and Inclusion of Displaced Persons from Ukraine, beneficiaries of temporary protection in Romania, as well as amending and supplementing certain normative acts], 30 June 202. https://legislatie.just.ro/Public/DetaliiDocument/256915
A dedicated, new strategy for the integration of applicants and beneficiaries of international protection was published for consultation in Greece in January 2022.Ministry of Migration and Asylum |Υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου. (2022, January 7). Δημόσια Ηλεκτρονική Διαβούλευση για την «Εθνική Στρατηγική για την Ένταξη» [Public Online Consultation on the "National Integration Strategy"]. http://www.opengov.gr/immigration/?p=1600 Several organisations provided their comments, including recommendations to speed up the delivery of necessary documentation (see Section 4.14.2.3) and facilitating children’s access to education (see Section 4.14.4.2).Ministry of Migration and Asylum |Υπουργείο Μετανάστευσης και Ασύλου. (2022, June 7). Εθνική Στρατηγική για την Ένταξη. Σχόλια [National Strategy for Inclusion. Comments]. http://www.opengov.gr/immigration/?p=1599#comments
A new ministerial instruction defined the priorities of the integration policy for 2022 in France. The instruction re-confirmed that integration through employment was a priority.Ministry of the Interior | Ministère de l'Intérieur. (2022, January 22). Priorités pour 2022 de la politique d'intégration des étrangers primo-arrivants, dont les réfugiés [2022 policy priorities for the integration of foreign arrivals, including refugees]. https://www.legifrance.gouv.fr/download/pdf/circ?id=45277 To this end, the Accompagnement global et individualisé des réfugiés (AGIR) programme was launched, proposing an individualised and comprehensive maximum 24-month integration pathway to all beneficiaries of international protection. Focusing on access to long-term housing, training and employment, the government deemed that this a significant enhancement of the public efforts in supporting refugees with their professional integration. The programme was rolled out in 26 departments in 2022, while 26 departments are planned to follow in 2023, with the complete implementation throughout France planned for 2024.European Website on Integration. (2022, October 20). France: Déploiement du programme AGIR, pour l’emploi et le logement des personnes réfugiées [France: deployment of the AGIR program, for employment and housing of refugees]. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/news/france-deploiement-du-pro…
The Icelandic parliament adopted a resolution for the implementation of an action plan for immigration issues for 2022-2025. One of the main objectives of the plan is to implement a long-term integration strategy.Þingsályktun um framkvæmdaáætlun í málefnum innflytjenda fyrir árin 2022–2025, No. 29/152 [Parliamentary resolution on an implementation plan in immigration matters for the years 2022–2025, No. 29/152.], June 16, 2022. https://www.althingi.is/altext/152/s/1364.html Based on the resolution, a steering group was established to formulate a comprehensive integration strategy, with a focus on labour market integration.Government of Iceland | Ríkisstjórn Íslands. (2023, January 24). Stýrihópur vinnur að mótun heildstæðrar stefnu í málefnum innflytjenda og flóttafólks [A steering group is working on the formulation of a comprehensive policy on the issues of immigrants and refugees]. https://www.stjornarradid.is/efst-a-baugi/frettir/stok-frett/2023/01/24…
The European Commission launched a joint project with the IOM to support the Portuguese High Commission for Migration in improving its capacity to address the evolving integration needs of migrants and beneficiaries of international protection. The project focuses especially on ensuring access to housing, education, employment, health services and related legal counselling.International Organization for Migration. (2022, September 27). Enhancing Migrant Integration Services in Portugal. https://www.iom.int/news/enhancing-migrant-integration-services-portugal
The Swedish SMA proposed that the government covers 8,200 beneficiaries of international protection in its new instruction for municipalities for 2023, including 5,000 resettled refugees (see Section 4.15). This represents the number of persons who are distributed across the country’s municipalities for whom municipal authorities must arrange housing.Swedish Migration Agency | Migrationsverket. (2022, August 12). Migrationsverket lämnar förslag om länstal av nyanlända för 2023 [The Swedish Migration Agency submits proposals for numbers of new arrivals in municipalities for 2023]. https://www.migrationsverket.se/Om-Migrationsverket/Pressrum/Nyhetsarki… In addition, since 1 July 2022, municipalities were assigned the task to arrange for the accommodation of 23,500 persons with temporary protection. 16,400 were accommodated in 2022, and 7,100 is foreseen for 2023. Municipalities receive SEK 10,000 per person.European Union Agency for Asylum. (2023). Providing Temporary Protection to Displaced Persons from Ukraine: A Year in Review. https://euaa.europa.eu/publications/providing-temporary-protection-disp…; Swedish Migration Agency | Migrationsverket. (2022, April 8). Lagförslag om jämnare fördelning av boenden över landet [Bill on a more even distribution of housing across the country]. https://www.migrationsverket.se/Om-Migrationsverket/Pressrum/Nyhetsarki…; Swedish Migration Agency | Migrationsverket. (2022, April 13). Så fördelas skyddsbehövande ukrainare över landet [This is how Ukrainians in need of protection are distributed across the country]. https://www.migrationsverket.se/Om-Migrationsverket/Pressrum/Nyhetsarki…; Swedish Migration Agency | Migrationsverket. (2022, June 30). Kommunerna tar över ansvaret för boende åt skyddsbehövande från Ukraina [The municipalities take over responsibility for housing for people in need of protection from Ukraine]. https://www.migrationsverket.se/Om-Migrationsverket/Pressrum/Nyhetsarki…; Swedish Migration Agency | Migrationsverket. (2022, November 29). Anvisningar av skyddsbehövande enligt massflyktsdirektivet 2023 [Instructions for those in need of protection according to the mass displacement directive 2023]. https://www.migrationsverket.se/Andra-aktorer/Kommuner/Nyhetsarkiv/Nyhe…
A new financing system in the asylum sector entered into force in Switzerland in January 2023, intended to coordinate the tasks of care, social assistance and integration support for refugees, provisionally admitted persons and persons in need of protection. The cantons receive a lump sum of approximately EUR 18,000/year for each person in these three categories aged 18 to 25 years if they are in vocational training or gainful employment. This provides additional incentives for vocational training for youth and young adults. A correction factor for low incomes was introduced for the 25-60-year age group in order to avoid undesirable disincentives to vocational training or part-time employment. SEM underlined that the new financing system is implemented in a cost-neutral manner. It intends to achieve the rapid and sustainable integration of these persons and to reduce their dependency on social assistance.Federal Council | Conseil Fédéral. (2022, March 30). Nouveau système de financement du domaine de l’asile [New financing system for asylum]. https://www.admin.ch/gov/fr/accueil/documentation/communiques.msg-id-87…
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) noted that national integration programmes for beneficiaries of international protection were discontinued in Bulgaria, and initiatives at the local level did not adequately fill the gap.Council of Europe, European Commission against Racism and Intolerance. (2022, June 28). ECRI Report on Bulgaria (sixth monitoring cycle). https://rm.coe.int/0900001680a83581 Thus, civil society organisations, Multi Kulti Collective and the Bulgarian Council on Refugees and Migrants, together with UNHCR, drafted a Manifesto on Refugee Integration, proposing that the National Programme for Refugees’ Integration is restored, a new institutional structure for integration is set up with an increased role for the State Agency for Refugees and a comprehensive integration process is developed.European Website on Integration. (2022, June 15). Manifesto on refugee integration in Bulgaria. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/library-document/manifesto-ref… The document was developed as part of the National Integration Evaluation Mechanism (NIEM) project, co-funded by AMIF, and it builds on the results of the comprehensive monitoring report.National Integration Evaluation Mechanism. (2022). Национален доклад NIEM Интеграцията на бежанци в България 2021: Всеобхватен мониторингов доклад [NIEM National Report. Refugee Integration in Bulgaria 2021: Comprehensive Monitoring Report]. http://www.forintegration.eu/pl/pub/evaluation-2-national-reports/dnl/1…; European Website on Integration. (2022, June 15). Refugee Integration in Bulgaria 2021: Comprehensive Monitoring Report. https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/library-document/refugee-integ…
Researchers analysed Poland’s rapid transition from transit to host country for beneficiaries of international protection and summarised the opportunities and limitations in the integration process.Sobczak-Szelc, K., Pachocka, M., Pędziwiatr, K., Szałańska, J., & Szulecka, M. (2022). From Reception to Integration of Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Poland (1 Edition). Routledge advances in European politics. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/From-Reception-to-Integration-of-Asylum-Seeke…
