Across the European Union (EU), data indicates that there are still significant, growing and multifaceted socio-economic gaps between people with a migrant background and mainstream society. At the same time, failure to realise the potential of people with a migrant background, including the most marginalised, represents a considerable waste of resources, both for the individuals concerned and more generally for the EU economy and society. The European Commission is continuing to look at practical ways to assist Member States when it comes to further integrating people with a migrant background. In this respect, Member States have several EU funds at their disposal. These include funding instruments under shared management, including the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESIF) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), and under direct management, for example, the EU programme for Employment and Social Innovation, Rights, Equality and Citizenship programme, the Health for Growth programme etc. Based on the operational lessons learnt in the past few years, this toolkit aims to support national and regional funding authorities in reinforcing synergies between EU funds under shared management when implementing integration policies via interventions which place the needs of the final beneficiaries at the centre of the support: For the EU funds to best respond to these challenges, a number of steps should be followed: - First, it is essential that evidenced-based national/local strategic policy frameworks are in place. - Secondly, in case Member States and/or regional authorities decide to use EU funds for people with a migrant background, the interventions should be in line with these strategic policy frameworks. - Thirdly, the overlaps between the EU funding instruments call for a reinforcement of the coordination mechanisms and synergies among the EU funds. The measures designed by the funding authorities, for instance in the programmes and calls for proposals, aimed at integrating people with a migrant background should take into account the following principles: non-discrimination, gender equality, individualising the response to needs, empowerment, integrated approach, long-term perspective, and contingency measures. In order to further assist national and regional authorities, the toolkit identifies areas where people with a migrant background are considered to face the most pressing and acute challenges. They are addressed through scenarios on employment, education, housing, reception and access to basic mainstream services. The scenarios describe the challenges at stake and the corresponding measures which can be supported by EU funds in these fields.
