Labour market integration of refugees : European networks and platforms

Apart from the Council of Refugees and Exiles (ecre) focusing on human rights, there exists a variety of European networks (and platforms) in the broader field of migration and integrating migrants, consisting of government representatives, NGOs and cities, focusing on migration in general or specific groups of migrants. The most comprehensive one is the European Migration Network, linking European level bodies with National Contact Points and stakeholders in the Member States. All such entities have produced deliverables on integration. - Research on networks (e.g. ESF learning networks) has identified individual learning and continuing personal relationships as strengths and detected weaknesses in a wider use of knowledge and implementation. - Impact and implementation: To enhance policy impact, a few networks have shifted from mutual learning to working methodologies for implementation (e.g. Eurocities, Public Employment Services network, European Lifelong Guidance Policy Network). - Governance: The European Commission has recently created structures for coordination (Inter-Service Group under the lead of DG Home and a Task Force on labour market integration of refugees in DG Employment). These could have more positive impact on the effectiveness of soft coordination in a diverse but fragmented landscape of European networks if such structures were permanent.