News

This study is issued by the Center for Migration and Refugee Studies on behalf of EUROMED Migration IV, a programme committed to establishing a constructive framework for dialogue and technical exchange on migration policy in the Euro-Mediterranean region.

In the framework of the EU funded project EU Support for the Effective Management of Green and Blue Borders in Albania (EU4SAFEALB) implemented by the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), the first Project Steering Committee meeting took place on 12 January 2021.

ENHANCER Project Expanded to Include Employment Activities - Final contracts under FRIT II funds have been officially signed on December 17, 2020, including the expansion of ENHANCER Project to cover job creation activities.

Under the guidance of ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger, the organisation saw a significant growth in staff, projects and financing. ICMPD was also able to gain three new member states and increase its presence in the field.

The joint EU-ICMPD Migration EU eXpertise Initiative has released a new publication ‘Building Bridges – Capacity Building on Migration and the MIgration EU eXpertise (MIEUX) 2009 – 2019’ offering concrete examples of the impact and value of capacity building on migration during its first ten years of implementation. The publication is available in English, French and Spanish.

The project is the first-ever aviation security action funded by the EU in Lebanon. The funding started on 1 September 2018 and is part of an EU commitment to support the Lebanese security sector and its longstanding engagement to stability and security in Lebanon covering the areas of rule of law, enhancement of security and counter terrorism. A step forward to combat terrorism is to bolster airport security at Rafic Hariri International Airport and the EU is providing 3.5 million EUR for this purpose.

In December 2020, ICMPD within the framework of the "Strategic and institutional management of migration in Libya" project held fruitful meetings in Tripoli with Mr Al-Shaibani, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior; the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Directors for European Affairs, International Organisations and International Cooperation; the Ministry of Labour; the Prime Minister’s Office; and the National Team for Border Security and Management.

On 3 December 2020, representatives from forced-return monitoring bodies and return enforcing institutions from 21 European countries, the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) gathered during a remote Thematic Workshop on Children in Forced-Return Operations. ICMPD and FRA jointly organised the workshop within the framework of the Forced-Return Monitoring III (FReM III) project. The aim was to enhance the monitors’ knowledge and capacities in monitoring forced-return operations where children are present.

The African Union Commission on Thursday, signed a MoU with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to enhance existing cooperation on Migration and mobility governance between the two organisations. The MoU was signed by H.E. Mrs Amira ElFadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs on behalf of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mohamet, while Director General, Mr. Michael Spindelegger, signed on behalf of ICMPD.

The programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by the ICMPD, supports EU Member States and the European Neighbourhood Instrument Southern Partner Countries (ENI SPCs) in establishing a comprehensive, constructive and operational dialogue and co-operation framework on migration, with a particular focus on reinforcing instruments and capacities to develop and implement evidence-based migration policies.

Baghdad, Iraq: With the support of the European Union and co-funding from Norway, and drawing on its extensive experience in setting up, operating and developing such Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is able to utilise this knowledge and experience in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for the benefit of Iraqi citizens.

Today, the world celebrates the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. The day marks 71 years from the adoption of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) from 2 December 1949).

Free movement in the Schengen area is a key achievement of EU integration. The Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism (SEMM) is important to ensuring the trust among Member States that is fundamental for the removal of internal borders. ICMPD has assessed the current approach in a new report.

From 16-19 November 2020, ICMPD hosted the Vienna Migration Conference entitled "Schengen, asylum reform and Europe’s migration diplomacy: Has COVID-19 changed everything?" The conference took place in an online production adapted especially for the pandemic and hosted a record number of participants.

From 23 to 27 November 2020, European Union experts jointly with the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) and the State Customs Service (SCS) of Ukraine completed the second field assessment mission to the border crossing points (BCPs) in Ukraine. The mission is the second activity on the spot to analyse the control processes and procedures at BCPs and is a part of wider activities of the EU-funded project "EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine (EU4IBM)" implemented by ICMPD.