COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Action Plan on the integration of third country nationals
Date: 2016-06-07
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU Member State, EU migration policy, action programme, foreign national, integration of migrants, refugee, residence permit

EN 

   EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Strasbourg, 7.6.2016  COM(2016) 377 final   COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Action Plan on the integration of third country nationals  
 
 
1. INTRODUCTION 

European societies are, and will continue to become, increasingly diverse. Today, there are 20 
million non-EU nationals residing in the EU who make up 4% of its total population1. Human 
mobility, in varying degrees and for a variety of different reasons, will be an inherent feature 
of the 21st century for Europe as well as globally, meaning the EU not only needs to step up 
gear  when  it  comes  to  managing  migration  flows,  but  also  when  it  comes  to  its  integration 
policies for third-country nationals2. 

The  EU  has  been  supporting  Member  States  in  their  integration  policies  for  several  years 
already.  In  2014  the  Justice  and  Home  Affairs  Council  reaffirmed  the  EU  Common  Basic 
Principles  for  Immigrant  Integration  Policy  adopted  in  2004,  which  set  out  a  common 
approach to the integration of third country nationals across the EU3. In 2011, the European 
Commission set out a European Agenda4 for the integration of third-country nationals, calling 
for  a  strengthened  and  coherent  approach  to  integration,  across  different  policy  areas  and 
government levels. During those years, many Member States developed their own integration 
policies  depending  on  their  national  contexts,  and  the  EU  played  an  important  role  in 
supporting some of these actions.  

However, notwithstanding the efforts made, third-country nationals across the EU continue to 
fare  worse  than  EU  citizens  in  terms  of  employment,  education,  and  social  inclusion 
outcomes5. At the same time, recent measures taken to improve the management of the large 
numbers of persons in need of protection which the EU currently faces, including measures 
on relocation and resettlement6, have highlighted the need for those Member States with less 
experience with integration to develop effective integration strategies. 

Ensuring that all those who are rightfully and legitimately in the EU, regardless of the length 
of  their  stay,  can  participate  and  contribute  is  key  to  the  future  well-being,  prosperity  and 
cohesion  of  European  societies.  In  times  when  discrimination,  prejudice,  racism  and 
xenophobia are rising, there are legal, moral and economic imperatives to upholding the EU's 
fundamental rights, values and freedoms and continuing to work for a more cohesive society 
overall. The successful integration of third-country nationals is a matter of common interest to 
all Member States. 

Investing resources and energy in integration policies today will contribute to making Europe 
a more prosperous, cohesive, and inclusive society in the long run. The European Agenda on 
Migration7 emphasised the need for effective integration policies for third country nationals. 
In the light of the current migratory challenges, and as announced in the Communication of 6 

1 See: Eurostat (2015). 
2  This  Action  Plan  addresses  the  integration  of  migrants  including  refugees  who  are  nationals  of  non-EU 
countries and who are in the EU legally. It does not concern nationals of EU Member States, who have a third 
country migrant background through their parents or grandparents, nor EU nationals who have exercised their 
right to free movement and their family members. 
3  See:  Council  conclusions  of 
http://www.consilium.europa.eu/ueDocs/cms_Data/docs/pressData/en/jha/82745.pdf.  
4 See: COM (2011) 455 final of 20.7.2011. 
5  See  Eurostat  data:  http://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php/Migrant_integration_statistics_-
_overview  and  OECD/European  Union  (2015),  Indicators  of  Immigration  Integration  2015  –  Settling  In: 
http://www.oecd.org/els/mig/Indicators-of-Immigrant-Integration-2015.pdf.  
6  See  Commission's  reports  on  relocation  and  resettlement:  COM  (2016)  165  final;  COM  (2016)  222  final; 
COM(2016)360 final.  
7 See: COM(2015)240 final of 13.5.2012. 

Justice  and  Home  Affairs  Council  of  5-6 

June  2014: 

the 

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April 20168, the moment has now come to revisit and strengthen the common approach across 
policy areas and involving all relevant actors – including the EU, Member States, regional and 
local  authorities  as  well  as  social  partners  and  civil  society  organisations.  This  is  also 
supported  by  the  European  Parliament  in  its  Resolution  of  12  April  2016,  which  calls  inter 
alia  for  full  participation  and  early  integration  of  all  third  country  nationals,  including 
refugees9.  

As set out in Article 79 (4) of the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union, whilst the 
competence  on  integration  lies  primarily  with  the  Member  States,  the  EU  may  establish 
measures  to  provide  incentives  and  support  for  Member  States  in  promoting  integration  of 
third  country  nationals  residing  legally  in  their  territories  and  has  an  important  role  in 
supporting, stimulating and coordinating Member States' actions and policies in this area. In 
the current context, many EU Member States are facing similar challenges, and the EU level 
can add value through the structural support it provides. This Action Plan provides a common 
policy  framework  which  should  help  Member  States  as  they  further  develop  and strengthen 
their national integration policies for migrants from third countries, and describes the policy, 
operational and financial support which the Commission will deliver to support them in their 
efforts. 

2. THE CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF INTEGRATION 

Research  suggests  that  third-country  nationals  continue  to  face  barriers  in  the  education 
system,  on  the  labour  market,  and  in  accessing  decent  housing10.  They  are  more  at  risk  of 
poverty  or  social  exclusion  compared  to  host-country  nationals,  even  when  they  are  in 
employment. Children are exposed to a particularly high risk of poverty.  
As the Commission pointed out in its Communication  of 7 April 201611, national economic 
and  social  policies  will  need  to  cater  for  the  recent  inflow  of  third-country  migrants  and 
refugees,  in  particular  to  provide  for  their  immediate  needs  and  their  integration  into  the 
labour market and society. This will be a challenge for many Member States but with the right 
conditions  for  swift  and  successful  integration,  it  is  also  an  opportunity,  especially  for 
Member  States  undergoing  demographic  changes.  That  includes  on  the  economic  front,  as 
evidence shows that third-country nationals have a positive fiscal net contribution if they are 
well  integrated  in  a  timely  manner,  starting  with  early  integration  into  education  and  the 
labour market.12 

8 See: COM(2016) 197 final of 6.4.2016. 
9 See: European Parliament Resolution of 12 April 2016 on the situation in the Mediterranean and the need for a 
holistic EU approach to migration (2015/2095(INI)). 
10 In 2015, third country nationals' employment rate was 12.4 pp lower than the one of host countries nationals, 
with women having particularly low rates. Third country migrants are often under-employed, even when holding 
university  diploma.  Educational  underachievement  is  twice  as  high  among  first  generation  migrants  (42%)  as 
compared to students with native-born parents (20%), and still high for the second generation (native-born with 
foreign born parents) (34%). In 2014, 49 % of third-country nationals were at risk of poverty or social exclusion 
compared with 22 % among host-country nationals. 18.2 % of the young non-EU-born population faced severe 
material  deprivation.  Third  country  nationals  were  more  likely  to  live  in  an  overcrowded  household  than  the 
native-born population.  
11  See:  2016  European  Semester:  Assessment  of  progress  on  structural  reforms,  prevention  and  correction  of 
macroeconomic imbalances, and results of in-depth reviews under Regulation (EU) No 1176/2011 (COM(2016) 
95 final/2). 
12  See  for  instance  OECD,  The  Fiscal  Impact  of  Immigration  in OECD  Countries,  in  "International  Migration 
Outlook 2013" and EC Policy Review Research on Migration: Facing Realities and Maximising Opportunities 
2016. 

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Failure to release the potential of third-country nationals in the EU would represent a massive 
waste of resources, both for the individuals concerned themselves and more generally for our 
economy and society13. There is a clear risk that the cost of non-integration will turn out to be 
higher than the cost of investment in integration policies. 

Individual integration needs vary widely depending on the person's reason for coming to the 
EU and on the expected length of stay as well as their skills, level of education and working 
experiences.  Highly-skilled  third-country  nationals  who  move  for  economic  purposes  will 
often benefit from integration support from their employers, for example language lessons, as 
well as the network which the work environment delivers. Other third-country nationals might 
not  have  such  support.  Newly-arrived  refugees  in  particular  face  specific  problems,  such  as 
vulnerability  resulting  from  traumas  suffered,  lack  of  documentation  including  as  regards 
qualifications,  inactivity  prior  to  and  during  asylum  procedure14,  but  also  cultural  and 
language barriers and risks of stigmatisation in education and on the labour and the housing 
market, which are not limited to refugees alone.  

Actions to  support the integration  of third-country nationals  need  not,  and  should not, be at 
the expense of measures to benefit other vulnerable or disadvantaged groups or minorities. In 
fact mainstreaming the integration of third country nationals is and should be an integral part 
of  efforts  to  modernise  and  build  inclusive  social,  education,  labour  market,  health  and 
equality policies, in order to offer meaningful opportunities for all to participate in society and 
the economy. The upcoming  New Skills' Agenda for Europe15 aims at strengthening human 
capital  and  its  employability  in  Europe,  thereby  contributing  to  the  EU's  overall 
competitiveness.  At  the  same  time,  targeted  specific  measures  can  respond  to  integration 
needs of particular third-country migrant groups, whether they have recently arrived and are 
eligible to stay or whether they have been in the EU for some years16.  

3. BUILDING COHESIVE SOCIETIES 

Developing  effective  integration  policies,  both  for  those  third-country  nationals  who  have 
recently arrived and are eligible to stay and for those who have been in the EU for longer, is 
about  investing  for  the  long-term.  Effective  and  fair  integration  measures  require  sufficient 
political,  social,  and  financial  investments  which  will  prove  beneficial  for  all  of  our 
communities in the long run. 

Experience  shows  that  integration  policies  work  best  when  they  are  designed  to  ensure 
coherent systems that facilitate participation and empowerment for everyone in society – third 
country  nationals  and  the  communities  into  which  they  settle.  This  means  that  integration 
should go beyond participation in the labour market and mastering the language of the host 

13  See:  Document  published  by  the  European  Commission  Directorate-General  for  Economic  and  Financial 
Affairs: "An Economic Take on the Refugee Crisis".  
14  Member  States  have  specific  obligations  under  EU  law  -  in  particular  under  the  Reception  Conditions 
Directive  (2013/33/EU)  and  the  Qualification  Directive  (2011/95/EU)  -  to  provide  asylum  seekers  proper 
reception  conditions  from  the  outset,  to  ensure  equal  access  to  the  labour  market  and  facilitate  access  to  jobs 
once protection status is granted, as well as to ensure equal treatment as regards diploma recognition and provide 
for specific facilitation.  
15  See:  A  New  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe:  Working  together  to  strengthen  human  capital,  employability  and 
competitiveness (COM(2016) 381), forthcoming. 

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country: integration is most effective when it is anchored in what it means to live in diverse 
European societies.  

The European Union is built on fundamental values including democracy, the rule of law, and 
the respect for fundamental rights. The Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union 
enshrines many rights of crucial importance to the integration process, including the freedoms 
of speech and religion, as well as the rights to equality and non-discrimination. Understanding 
and subscribing to these fundamental values is an essential element of living and participating 
in the host society. At the same time, these rights also protect the third country national and 
foster his or her inclusion into society. In this vein, the Council discussed  the integration of 
third  country  nationals  in  the  context  of  its  2016  Annual  Dialogue  on  the  Rule  of  Law17, 
which  reaffirmed  the  importance  of  being  guided  by  fundamental  values,  as  well  as  the 
centrality of the principle of a two-way process on integration.  

This  dynamic  two-way  process  on  integration  means  not  only  expecting  third-country 
nationals  to  embrace  EU  fundamental  values  and  learn  the  host  language  but  also  offering 
them meaningful opportunities to participate in the economy and society of the Member State 
where they settle. 

Actively contributing and being allowed to contribute to the political, cultural and social life 
is at least as important to creating a sense of belonging and feeling fully anchored in the host 
society and to building socio-economically thriving societies. Developing welcoming, diverse 
and  inclusive  societies  is  a  process  that  needs  the  engagement  both  of  the  third  country 
nationals  and  of  the  receiving  society.  The  promotion  of  intercultural  dialogue,  including 
interreligious  dialogue  between  faith  communities,  of  respect  for  human  rights,  and  of 
European values is essential.  

4. KEY POLICY PRIORITIES AND TOOLS TO SUPPORT INTEGRATION 
ACROSS THE EU 

Successful integration is a process that happens over time, but most importantly, across many 
different  policy  areas  –  e.g.  education,  employment,  entrepreneurship,  culture  -  and  in 
different  contexts.  Building  on  the  2011  European  Agenda  on  Integration,  this  Action  Plan 
sets out policy priorities and the tools to support the implementation of these priorities.  

4.1 Policy priorities  

Priority  needs  to  be  given  to  specific  measures  to  be  undertaken  at  both  EU  and  Member 
States' level to strengthen and support integration across key policy areas. 

4.1.1 Pre-departure/pre-arrival measures 

Providing support to third country nationals at the earliest possible moment in the migration 
process  has  proven  to  be  an  essential  feature  of  successful  integration.  A  starting  point, 
whenever  feasible,  is  pre-departure  and  pre-arrival  measures  targeting  both  those  arriving 
from  third  countries  and  the  receiving  society.  Such  measures  can  be  beneficial  for 
individuals whatever their reasons for moving legally to the EU, but they can be particularly 
important  to  prepare  the  resettlement  of  refugees.  As  Member  States  should  be  stepping  up 
their  delivery  on  the  Resettlement  Decision  of  June  201518,  the  Humanitarian  Admission 

17 See: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/gac/2016/05/24/ 
18 See: C(2015) 3560 final 

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Scheme  for  Turkey19  and  the  one-for-one  resettlement  scheme  under  the  EU-Turkey 
Statement20,  further  developing  pre-departure  measures  to  facilitate  integration  will  be 
increasingly  important,  particularly  also  in  view  of  the  forthcoming  structured  resettlement 
system, as announced in the Communication of 6 April 2016.21 

For  the  third  country  nationals  concerned,  in  particular  those  coming  for  work  or  family 
reasons but also for refugees to be resettled, pre-departure language and job-related training 
can  speed  up  integration  in  their  future environment.  If  jointly  designed  by  the  countries  of 
origin and of destination, pre-departure measures have proven to be particularly effective in 
accelerating  integration.  However,  cooperation  with  countries  of  origin  and  transit  on  this 
issue  is  still  not  sufficiently  developed.  In  its  Communication  on  establishing  a  new 
Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration22, the 
Commission proposes a coherent and tailored approach to develop, together with the Member 
States,  instruments,  tools  and  leverages  to  reach  comprehensive  partnerships  with  third 
countries to better manage migration. For example, the Commission will work with Member 
States to strengthen cooperation with selected third-countries to fulfil the commitments of the 
Action  Plan  signed  at  the  Valletta  Summit  on  Migration  in  November  201523,  including  on 
pre-departure measures. 

For  the  resettlement  of  refugees,  providing  refugees  with  information  on  the  country  of 
resettlement, helping  them building  realistic expectations about  their new life,  making them 
aware of their rights and their duties, and equipping them with language and other skills that 
can help them succeed in their new environment are key elements to facilitate their integration 
once they reach their destination countries.  

The innovative use of technology, social media and the internet needs to be harnessed at all 
stages of the integration process as well, including pre-departure. Some Member States have 
developed  online  tools,  for  example  phone  applications,  to  inform  newly-arrived  asylum 
seekers about their rights and about the host society, or to provide basic language training or 
very practical information to facilitate daily life.  

Likewise, pre-arrival measures can help prepare receiving communities for the arrival of third 
country  nationals,  contributing  to  building  empathy  and  understanding  to  overcome 
prejudices  and  fostering  an  open  and  welcoming  attitude.  Many  Member  States  already 
organise some form of pre-arrival measures for communities receiving resettled refugees. For 
example,  the  SHARE  Network,  co-financed  by  the  European  Commission  and  aimed  at 
connecting European regional and local authorities and their civil society partners involved in 
refugee  resettlement  and  integration,  has  developed  the  "Share  City  Curriculum",  a  Toolkit 
for Welcoming, Supporting and Empowering Resettled Refugees.24  

In view of the implementation of the commitments on resettlement, the Commission will give 
further  financial  support  to  Member  States  in  organising  effective  pre-departure  measures, 
and  enhance  cooperation  with  relevant  international  actors  such  as  the  International 
Organisation  for  Migration  (IOM).  The  Commission  has  proposed  that  the  new  European 

19 See: C(2015) 9490 
20 See: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/03/18-eu-turkey-statement/ 
21 See: COM(2016) 197 final of 6.4.2016. 
22 See: Establishing a new Partnership Framework with third countries under the European Agenda on Migration 
(COM(2016) 385, 7 June 2016). 
23 See: http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/meetings/international-summit/2015/11/ACTION_PLAN_EN_pdf/ 
24  See  the  final  report:  http://www.eurocities.eu/eurocities/news/-Building-a-resettlement-network-of-European-
cities-and-regions-SHARE-project-publication-WSPO-A9SHLX. 

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Union Agency for Asylum will have a key role in facilitating and monitoring the exchange of 
best  practices  between  Member  States,  including  in  the  area  of  pre-departure  integration 
measures.25  

The Commission will: 

  Launch projects supporting pre-departure and pre-arrival measures for local communities, 
including  in  the  context  of  resettlement  programmes  with  a  focus  on  priority  third 
countries.  

  Engage  with  Member  States  to  strengthen  cooperation  with  selected  third-countries  on 

pre-departure measures, including under La Valletta Action Plan.  

In strengthening their integration policies, Member States are encouraged to: 

  Promote  private  sponsorship  programmes26  for  the  resettlement  of  refugees,  in  order  to 
actively involve local communities in the integration process of third country nationals. 

  Consider taking part in multi-stakeholder projects for the resettlement of refugees such as 
the  EU  project  for  Facilitating  resettlement  and  Refugee  Admission  through  New 
Knowledge exchange27. 

  Provide pre-departure information to prepare individuals for arrival in the EU, including 

by appointing Integration Liaison Officers in Embassies in key third countries. 

4.1.2 Education  

Education and training are among the most powerful tools for integration and access to them 
should  be  ensured  and  promoted  as  early  as  possible.  The  acquisition  of  basic  skills  is  the 
foundation for further learning and the gateway to employment and social inclusion. 

Learning  the  language  of  the  destination  country  is  crucial  for  third  country  nationals  to 
succeed their integration process. Language integration programmes should be provided at the 
earliest stage possible after arrival, adapted to each person's linguistic competences needs and 
combining  language  learning  with  learning  of  other  skills  and  competences  or  work 
experiences.  A  special  effort  should  be  made  to  ensure  that  these  courses  reach  women  as 
well as men. 

All  children,  regardless  of  their  family  or  cultural  background  or  gender,  have  the  right  to 
education to further their development. Refugee children may well have had a break in their 
education or in some cases not been able to go to school at all and will need tailored support 
including  catch-up  classes.  Teachers  need  the  necessary  skills  to  assist  them  and  should  be 
supported in their work in increasingly diverse classrooms, also to prevent school failure and 
educational segregation.  

Early  Childhood  Education  and  Care  is  fundamental  for  the  integration  of  families  and 
children  from  third  countries.  It  plays  an  essential  role  in  learning  to  live  together  in 

25 See: COM(2016)197 final of 6.4.2016. 
26 Under private sponsorship programmes, civil society organisations or groups of individuals support the cost of 
resettlement and take care of the first integration of resettled refugees in cooperation with local communities.  
27  EU-FRANK  project:  Facilitating  resettlement  and  Refugee  Admission  through  New  Knowledge:  an  EU 
funded project run by the Swedish Migration Agency 2016-2020. 

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heterogeneous societies and in acquiring linguistic competences. Investing in Early Childhood 
Education and Care has proven effective in tackling poverty and social exclusion, and making 
sure that all children are given the chance to realise their full potential.  

Gaining an understanding of the laws, culture and values of the receiving society is crucial for 
third  country  nationals  to  understand  the  responsibilities  linked  with  their  new  life  in  the 
receiving  society  and  actively  participate  in  it.  Education  plays  a  strong  role  in  the 
socialisation  of  children  and  can  foster  social  cohesion  and  mutual  understanding  between 
third  country  nationals  and  the  receiving  societies.  The  question  of  introducing  civic 
education courses in secondary schools should be further explored. Non-formal learning (e.g. 
in  youth  associations,  culture  and  sport)  also  has  a  key  role  in  complementing  integration 
through formal education in schools or higher education institutions.  

Under the New Skills Agenda for Europe, the Commission will propose measures to promote 
the  upskilling  of  low-skilled  and  low-qualified  persons  which  could  be  beneficial  to  third 
country nationals28. 

The Commission will: 

  Provide  online  language  assessment  and  learning  for  newly  arrived  third  country 
nationals,  especially  refugees,  through  the  Erasmus+  online  linguistic  support  (100.000 
licences for online language courses available to refugees for a period of three years). 

  Support peer learning events on key policy measures such as welcome classes, skills and 
language  assessment,  support  for  unaccompanied  children,  intercultural  awareness, 
recognition of academic qualifications and integration into higher education.  

  Support the school community in promoting inclusive education and addressing specific 
needs of migrant learners through the COM online platform School Education Gateway.  

  Remove  barriers  to  the  participation  of  third  country  national  girls  and  boys  to  early 
childhood  education  through  the  development  of  the  European  Quality  Framework  for 
Early  Childhood  Education  and  Care  (ECEC),  including  assistance  to  ECEC  staff  to 
respond to the specific situation of families. 

  Support the upskilling of low-skilled and low-qualified persons in the context of the New 

Skills Agenda for Europe. 

In strengthening their integration policies, Member States are encouraged to: 

  Equip teachers and school staff with the skills needed to manage diversity and promote 

the recruitment of teachers with a migrant background. 

  Promote and support the participation of migrants' children in early childhood education 

and care. 

4.1.3 Labour Market Integration and access to Vocational Training  

Employment  is  a  core  part  of  the  integration  process.  Finding  a  job  is  fundamental  to 
becoming  part  of  the  host  country’s  economic  and  social  life,  ensuring  access  to  decent 
accommodation and living conditions as well as economic inclusion. Timely and full labour 

28  See:  A  New  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe:  Working  together  to  strengthen  human  capital,  employability  and 
competitiveness (COM(2016) 381), forthcoming. 

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market  integration  can  also  help  to  meet  the  growing  needs  for  specific  skills  in  the  EU  as 
well  as  to  enhance  the  sustainability  of  the  welfare  systems  against  the  background  of  an 
ageing  population  and  workforce.  In  fact,  employment  is  usually  the  single  most  important 
determinant  of  third  country  nationals'  overall  net  fiscal  contribution.29  Supporting 
entrepreneurship, including through access to existing micro-credit assistance schemes, is also 
a  vital  channel  to  foster  third  country  nationals’  contribution  to  economy  and  society  as  a 
whole. 

However,  third-country  nationals’  employment  rates  remain  below  the  average  of  host-
country citizens in most Member States.30 Many third-country nationals are overqualified or 
overskilled  for  their  jobs  or  work  in  less  favourable  conditions  when  it  comes  to  wages, 
employment protection, over-representation in certain sectors and career prospects31. Women 
tend  to  have  particularly  low  employment  and  activity  rates32  and  a  special  focus  on  their 
labour market integration is therefore indispensable.  

Facilitating  validation  of  skills  and  recognition  of  qualifications  is  crucial  to  ensure  that 
individuals' skills are used to their full potential. This is particularly important for refugees, 
who  may  not  have  necessary  documentary  evidence  of  their  previous  learning  and 
qualifications,  may  have  had  their  education  interrupted  or  may  not  have  participated  in 
formal education.  
At  the  Tripartite  Social  Summit33  of  16  March  2016,  EU  cross-industry  social  partners 
presented  a  joint  statement  on  the  refugee  crisis34,  stressing the  importance  of  refugees' 
integration in training, employment and society in general and pleading for a comprehensive 
solution towards skills analysis and validation, taking into account economic needs.  

Even if EU law already provides for refugees to have the same access to the labour market as 
nationals,  active  labour  market  policies  –  mainstreamed  as  well  as  targeted  -  will  remain 
necessary  to  facilitate  their  labour  market  participation.  The  Commission  welcomes  the  fact 
that some Member States give access to the labour market much earlier than the nine-month 
deadline in the Reception Conditions Directive (e.g. in Belgium, Italy, Romania). It welcomes 
too the easing of the conditions (Germany) for asylum seekers to access the labour market, as 
well  as  initiatives  to  link  the  placement  of  asylum  seekers  and  refugees  with  employment 
opportunities 
these 
developments however, significant barriers to enter the labour market remain in practice. 

(e.g.  Sweden,  Denmark,  Finland,  Portugal,  Estonia).  Despite 

Early integration into vocational training with a strong work-based learning dimension might 
prove particularly effective for some third country nationals to provide them with the basis for 
successful  integration  into  the  labour  market  and  progression  towards  a  higher  level  of 
qualification.  The  Commission  will  mobilise  existing  policy  initiatives  and  programmes 
(European Alliance for Apprenticeships, European Pact for Youth, Erasmus+, Education and 

29  See:  Document  published  by  the  European  Commission  Directorate-General  for  Economic  and  Financial 
Affairs: "An Economic Take on the Refugee Crisis".  
30 See Eurostat: Migrant integration in the EU labour market of 6.06.2016.  
31  More  than  40%  of  third-country  workers  with  high  level  of  education  work  in  medium  or  low-skilled 
occupations compared to around 20% among host-country nationals, Eurostat, Labour Force Survey. 
32 In 2015, under half of the third country national women population was in employment, over 16 percentage 
points lower than the employment rate of women with EU nationality. 
33  The  Tripartite  Social  Summit  gathers  twice  a  year  the  leaders  of  the  EU  institutions  and  of  EU  the  social 
partners to discuss topical issues. 
34 See: https://www.etuc.org/sites/www.etuc.org/files/press-
release/files/14.03.16_final_eco_soc_partners_message_refugee_crisis.pdf 

9 

 
 
                                                            
 
Training  2020,  etc.)  to  promote  peer  learning  and  sharing  of  promising  practices  on 
integration in the area of Vocational Education and Training.  

Finally,  early  activation  and  intervention  of  vulnerable  young  people  Not  in  Employment, 
Education  or  Training  (NEETs),  including  young  third  country  nationals,  is  vital  to  ensure 
their swift integration into education, apprenticeships, traineeships or the labour market. The 
Commission  will  explore  possibilities  to  further  improve  outreach  activities  towards  young 
vulnerable NEETs, including those who are third country nationals, within the existing Youth 
Guarantee framework, and with private sector involvement where possible.  

Under the New Skills Agenda for Europe, the Commission will develop measures and tools to 
support the profiling of skills and the recognition of qualification for third-country nationals35. 

The Commission will: 

  Develop an online repository of promising practices on integration into the labour market 
for  refugees  and,  where  there  are  good  prospects  of  granting  them  protection,  asylum 
seekers, as a source for policy makers in Member States. 

  Under  the  New  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe:  a)  develop  a  "Skills  and  Qualifications 
Toolkit"  to  support  timely  identification  of  skills  and  qualifications  for  newly  arrived 
third country nationals; b) ensure that better information about qualification recognition 
practices and decisions in different countries is collected through the Europass portal; c) 
and  improve  the  transparency  and  understanding  of  qualifications  acquired  in  third-
countries, through the revision of the European Qualifications Framework.  

  Provide specific support for early recognition of academic qualifications of third country 
nationals including refugees, including through enhancing cooperation between National 
Academic Recognition Information Centres (NARIC) centres and training staff in 
reception facilities. 

  Launch  projects  (under  the  Asylum  Migration  and  Integration  Fund  and  under  the  EU 
Programme for Employment and Social Innovation) promoting labour market integration 
of  refugees,  'fast  track"  insertion  into  labour  market  and  vocational  training  and  labour 
market integration of women.  

 

Identify  best  practices  to  promote  and  support  migrant  entrepreneurship  and  fund  pilot 
projects for their dissemination.  

In strengthening their integration policies, Member States are encouraged to: 

  Support  fast  track  insertion  into  the  labour  market  of  newly  arrived  third-country 
nationals,  through  for  example  early  assessment  of  skills  and  qualifications,  combined 
language and on-the-job training, specific guidance and mentoring. 

  Remove  obstacles  to  ensure  effective  access  to  vocational  training  and  to  the  labour 
market for refugees and, where there are good prospects of granting them protection, for 
asylum seekers.  

  Assess,  validate  and  recognise  as  soon  as  possible  skills  and  qualifications  of  third 

35  See:  A  New  Skills  Agenda  for  Europe:  Working  together  to  strengthen  human  capital,  employability  and 
competitiveness (COM(2016) 381), forthcoming. 

10 

 
 
 
                                                            
country nationals, making full use of tools available at EU level.  

  Encourage  entrepreneurship  through  tailored  business  training  and  mentoring  and  by 
opening up to third country nationals mainstream entrepreneurship support structures. 

4.1.4 Access to basic services  

Access to adequate and affordable housing is a basic condition for third-country nationals to 
start a life in the new society but it presents a major challenge in the context of the current 
inflows,  as  regards  both  the  initial  reception  phase  and  finding  long-term  housing  solutions 
that still provide adequate chances of employment. While responsibility over housing policies 
is  a  national  competence,  the  Commission  supports  Member  States  both  in  facing  the 
immediate accommodation challenges related to the refugee crisis,  and in providing funding 
for adequate and affordable social housing36. The European Investment Bank can also provide 
support, such as finance for reception centres, temporary accommodation during the asylum 
application  phase,  and  longer-term  social  housing  for  third-country  nationals  granted 
asylum37.  

The new European Network on Integration and the Partnerships under the Urban Agenda for 
the  EU38  (see  4.2.1  below),  will  offer  a  framework  for  cities,  Member  States  and  other 
stakeholders to exchange experiences and best practices on the urban dimension of diversity 
and  migration,  including  on  tackling  geographical  isolation  and  ghettoisation,  and  identify 
bottlenecks and concrete actions.  

Evidence shows that ill health and lack of access to health services can be a fundamental and 
ongoing obstacle to integration, with an impact on virtually all areas of life and shaping the 
ability  to  enter  employment,  education,  learning  the  host  country's  language  and  interacting 
with  public  institutions.  In  particular,  during  the  first  reception  phase,  ensuring  access  to 
healthcare  is  essential  but  third-country  nationals  can  face  particular  problems  in  accessing 
regular  health  services,  dealing  with  unfamiliar  healthcare  systems,  and  communicating 
effectively  with  healthcare  staff.  The  Commission  will  finance  projects  supporting  best 
practices in healthcare provision for vulnerable individuals especially refugees. In addition, it 
has developed, jointly with the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) 
and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) a Personal Health Record, in order to 
help identify third country nationals' health needs and facilitate the provision of healthcare.  

The Commission will: 

  Promote  the  use  of  EU  funds  for  reception,  education,  housing,  health  and  social 

infrastructures for third country nationals.  

  Strengthen  cooperation  with  the  European  Investment  Bank,  to  provide  funding  for 
temporary accommodation and health facilities for newly arrived third country nationals 

36 Social housing can be supported under the 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Fund programmes. 
37 So far, three loans have been approved for a total of some EUR 800 million in loan financing to benefit an 
estimated 250,000 refugees (Germany and France, total project cost of some EUR 1.6 billion with a further loan 
under appraisal).  The European Investment  Bank is also financing the costs of additional education and social 
support for refugees in conjunction with accommodation investments. 
38 See: http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/policy/themes/urban-development/agenda/.  

11 

 
 
 
 
                                                            
and social housing.  

  Promote peer learning exchanges between Member States and cities in the form of study 
visits, peer reviews and sharing of best practices on how to address housing challenges, 
including geographical isolation and ghettoisation. 

  Support  best  practices  in  care  provision  for  vulnerable  third  country  nationals  and 
refugees, including women, children and older persons under the Health Programme. 

  Develop  pilot  training  modules  for  health  professionals  on  health  for  third  country 
nationals and refugees, with a view to upgrade and strengthen the skills and capabilities 
of first line health professionals, and promote a holistic approach to health care of  third 
country nationals and refugees.  

In strengthening their integration policies, Member States are encouraged to: 

  Ensure an integrated approach, coordinating policies on housing with equitable access to 
employment,  healthcare and social services and  inter-sectoral  collaboration including by 
strengthening communication between local, regional and national levels.  

  Create competence networks of health experts, for example on mental health - especially 
post-traumatic stress - of refugees, in close collaboration among health authorities, NGOs 
and health professionals' organisations for prevention and early detection of problems and 
provision of support and treatment.  

4.1.5 Active participation and social inclusion 

The  involvement  of  third-country  nationals  themselves  in  the  design  and  implementation  of 
integration policies is essential to improve their participation and their integration outcomes. 
Integration is not just about learning the language, finding a house or getting a job. It is also 
about playing an active role in one's local, regional and national community, about developing 
and sustaining real people-to-people contacts through social, cultural and sports activities and 
even political engagement. 

When developing integration policies at EU, national or local level, special attention should 
be  paid  to  gender  aspects,  to  the  situation  of  children  –  including  unaccompanied  and 
separated  children39–  and  to  that  of  persons  in  a  potentially  vulnerable  situation,  including 
victims  of  gender  based  violence  and  persons  belonging  to  religious  and  ethnic  minorities 
who could face discrimination or disproportionate integration hurdles.  

The  Commission  will  engage  in  a  dialogue  with  Member  States  to  ensure  that  concerns 
related to the gender dimension and the situation of migrant women are taken into account in 
planned policies and funding initiatives, including within actions co-financed by EU Funds40.  

Promoting  exchanges  with  the  receiving  society  through  volunteering,  sport  and  culture 
activities from the very beginning facilitates dialogue and mutual understanding. It can have 
benefits both on newly arrived third country nationals (by making them feeling part of their 
new  community  and  helping  the  understanding  of  key  values  and  norms),  and  on  the  host 
society, increasing acceptance and helping building a welcoming attitude. Sport clubs, youth 

39 See the Commission Communication on the State of Play of Implementation of the Priority Actions under the 
European Agenda on Migration, COM(2016) 85 final. 
40 The Advisory Committee on Gender Equality (governance structure run by the Commission) will issue this 
year an opinion on gender mainstreaming in the European Migration Agenda. 

12 

 
 
 
                                                            
and cultural organisations in the EU are already actively involving newly arrived individuals 
in  their  activities.  The  European  Voluntary  Service  supports  volunteer  work  for  example  in 
welcome  centres.  It  thus  creates  links  between  asylum  seekers  and  young  Europeans  and 
contributes to better understanding of European culture and values by asylum seekers.  

Everyone in the EU - EU citizen or not - is protected by law from discrimination at work or in 
access  to  work  on  the  grounds  of  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  religion  or  belief  and  from 
discrimination in education, social protection and access to goods and services on the grounds 
of racial or ethnic origin41. Enforcement of these rights needs to be ensured by Member States 
and  early  agreement  is  needed  on  the  Commission  proposal  to  complete  the  anti-
discrimination framework on the grounds of inter alia religion42. 

Fighting discrimination and promoting a positive approach to diversity, as well as combating 
racism, xenophobia and in particular hate speech, both through the implementation of relevant 
EU rules43 and national legislation and through targeted policy measures, are and should be an 
integral part of effective integration policies.  

The Commission will: 

  Launch  projects  to  promote  intercultural  dialogue,  cultural  diversity  and  European 

common values through culture, films and arts (Creative Europe).  

  Launch projects to promote social inclusion through youth and sport (Erasmus+). 

  Propose  to  give  greater  priority,  within  the  European  Voluntary  Service,  to  activities 
dedicated to integration of refugees and asylum seekers into their new host communities. 

  Develop handbooks and toolboxes for practitioners on cultural awareness and expression; 
intercultural  dialogue;  active  participation  of  third  country  nationals  in  political,  social 
and cultural life and sports in the host societies; and the contribution of youth work. 

  Launch projects under different EU funds promoting: participation in political, social and 
cultural life and sports; social inclusion through education, training and youth; preventing 
and combating discrimination, gender-based violence, racism and xenophobia, including 
hate  crime  and  hate  speech,  and  fostering  better  understanding  between  communities, 
including religious communities.  

  Continue to work with the European Parliament and the Council towards the adoption of 

the anti-discrimination directive.  

In strengthening their integration policies, Member States are encouraged to: 

  Promote exchanges with the host society from the very beginning through volunteering, 

sport, and culture activities. 

 

 

Increase third country nationals' participation in local democratic structures. 

Invest in projects and measures aimed at combating prejudice and stereotypes (e.g. 

41 See: Council Directive 2000/43/EC of 29 June 2000 and Council Directive 2000/78/EC of 27 November 2000.  
42  See:  Proposal  for  a  Council  Directive  on  implementing  the  principle  of  equal  treatment  between  persons 
irrespective of religion or belief, disability, age or sexual orientation COM/2008/0426 final. 
43  See:  Council  Framework  Decision  2008/913/JHA  of  28  November  2008  on  combating  certain  forms  and 
expressions of racism and xenophobia by means of criminal law. 

13 

 
 
 
                                                            
awareness-raising campaigns, education programmes). 

  Fully implement legislation on combating racism and xenophobia and on victims' rights 

and strictly enforce equal treatment and anti-discrimination legislation.  

  Organise civic orientation programmes for all third country nationals as a way to foster 
integration into the host society and promote the understanding and respect of EU values.  

4.2 Tools to support integration 

4.2.1 Policy coordination 

Immigrant  integration  is  a  political  priority  that  has  to  be  pursued  not  only  across  different 
policy  areas  but  also  at  different  levels  (EU,  national,  regional  and  local)  and  by  involving 
non-governmental  stakeholders  (civil  society  organisations,  including  diasporas  and  migrant 
communities, as well as faith-based organisations). 

To  address  the  challenges  highlighted  above,  the  EU  should  play  a  stronger  role  in 
coordinating  and  liaising  between  the  different  actors  and  stakeholders  in  the  field  of 
immigrant  integration.  That  is  why  the  European  Commission  will  upgrade  the  current 
Network  of  the  National  Contact  Points  on  Integration44  into  a  European  Integration 
Network  with  a  stronger  coordination  role  and  mutual  learning  mandate.  The  Commission 
will support exchanges between Member States within the Network through targeted learning 
activities such as study visits, peer reviews, mutual assistance and peer learning workshops on 
specific  aspects  of  integration.  The  Network  will  promote  cooperation  with  national 
authorities  and  local  and  regional  authorities,  civil  society  organisations and  other  EU  level 
networks of Member States in connected policy areas (employment, education, equality, etc.). 
Since 2009, an Integration Forum at European level45 provides a platform where civil society 
and  European  institutions  can  discuss  integration  issues.  As  of  2015,  the  Integration  Forum 
evolved into the European Migration Forum, covering a broader range of topics related also 
to migration and asylum.  

Moreover, EU policy cooperation in the areas of education, youth, culture and sports as well 
as in employment and social inclusion addresses the challenges related to migrant integration. 
In the context of the Europe 2020 Strategy for Growth and Jobs targets are set in the fields of 
education,  employment  and  social  inclusion,  aimed  at  monitoring  and  promoting  structural 
reforms.  Integration  outcomes  of  third  country  nationals  in  Member  States  have  also  been 
analysed and monitored within the Country Reports and Country-Specific Recommendations 
in  the  framework  of  the  European  Semester,  with  a  focus  on  integration  into  the  labour 
market, and education, in order to promote better outcomes and social inclusion46.  

In  November  2015,  the  Council  and  the  Commission  decided  to  boost  cooperation  on 
inclusive  education,  equality,  equity,  non-discrimination  and  the  promotion  of  civic 

See: 

https://ec.europa.eu/migrant-integration/index.cfm?action=furl.go&go=/the-eu-and-integration/eu-

44 
actions-to-make-integration-work. 
45  The  Integration  Forum  was  established  by  the  European  Commission  in  partnership  with  the  European 
Economic and Social Committee. 
46 See: http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific-recommendations/index_en.htm.. 

14 

 
 
 
                                                            
competences  under  the  Education  and  Training  2020  strategic  framework  for  European 
cooperation in education and training47 and the EU Work Plan for Youth 2016-201848. 

In  addition,  the  Commission  has  created  a  Partnership  under  the  Urban  Agenda  for  the  EU 
focussing  on  the  integration  of  third  country  nationals,  where  the  Commission,  Member 
States,  cities  and  civil  society  representatives  will  develop  together  concrete  actions  to 
promote integration. This work was reinforced by the launch of a political roundtable between 
the Commission and European cities to promote long-term integration49. The overall goal is to 
strengthen the dialogue with local and regional authorities and civil society (including migrant 
communities  and  diaspora  organisations)  through  regular  meetings  to  discuss  integration 
policies and funding issues. 

4.2.2 Funding 

The  success  of  integration  policies  depends  on  the  relation  between  a  strategic,  coordinated 
and multi-dimensional policy framework and adequate funding support.  

The  EU  has  supported  integration  actions  through  dedicated  funding  and  more  broadly 
through instruments  addressing social  and economic cohesion  across Member States. Under 
the previous cycle (2007-2013), EUR 825 million was spent under the European Integration 
Fund. The mid-term evaluation of the European Integration Fund50 demonstrated that in most 
Member  States  the  projects  financed  under  the  Fund  would  not  have  been  carried  out 
otherwise. In several Member States, the Fund contributed to the reinforcement and expansion 
of  activities  pursued  by  NGOs  and  local  actors  on  integration,  and  fostered  dialogue  and 
exchange  of  ideas  and  good  practices  among  stakeholders  involved  in  the  integration 
process51.  In  addition  to  this  dedicated  support,  substantial  amounts  were  also  available  to 
Member States under the Structural Funds to support integration-related measures to improve 
social inclusion, access to education and to the labour market of third-country nationals. For 
example, the European Social Fund (ESF) co-funded actions that have reached more than 5 
million  such  individuals52.  This  funding  however  represented  just  part  of  the  overall 
investment carried out within Member States.  

Under the current Multi-annual Financial Framework 2014-2020, EUR 765 million has been 
earmarked  by  Member  States  for  integration  under  their  AMIF  national  programmes.  This 
figure shows a slight decrease over the previous period while the needs are actually larger and 
it is now proving to be inadequate for the current situation given the overall investment which 
Member States need to make.  

It  was  in  this  light  that  President  Juncker,  in  his  State  of  the  European  Union  address  in 
September  201553,  said  that  Member  States  needed  to  take  a  second  look  at  their  support, 
integration  and  inclusion  policies  and  committed  the  Commission  to  looking  into  how  EU 

47 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=URISERV:ef0016&from=EN  
48 See http://data.consilium.europa.eu/doc/document/ST-13631-2015-INIT/en/pdf.  
49  See:  http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/newsroom/news/2016/04/04-05-2016-long-term-management-of-
migratory-flows-a-new-partnership-between-the-commission-and-european-cities.  
50 See: http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52011DC0847&from=EN 
51 Projects focused mainly on language training, civic orientation, facilitating access to labour market, exchanges 
with  host  society/  intercultural  dialogue,  capacity  building  of  integration  policy  stakeholders  including  the 
development of tools and indicators.  
52  Other  funds,  such  as  Erasmus+,  have  funded  more  than  200  projects  in  2014-15  dealing  with  refugees  or 
addressing challenges related to the inclusion of refugees. 
53 See: http://ec.europa.eu/priorities/sites/beta-political/files/state_of_the_union_2015_en.pdf.  

15 

 
 
 
                                                            
Funds could support these efforts. The Commission services followed this up by mapping the 
potential of the different shared management Funds to support integration as well as the role 
which  international  financial  institutions  could  play.  The  Commission  produced  guidance 
documents to help Member States enhancing the strategic and coordinated use of relevant EU 
Funds for quicker and more effective results on the ground54.  

Significant amounts are available to Member States for the current programming period under 
the European Structural and Investment Funds (ESI Funds), and there is considerable scope 
for these funds to support integration measures. In particular, the European Social Fund (ESF) 
and  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  support  social  inclusion,  education 
and  labour  market  related  investment55.  For  example,  under  the  ESF,  EUR  21  billion  are 
available  to  all  Member  States  for  promoting  social  inclusion,  combatting  poverty  and 
discrimination,  whereas  under  the  ERDF,  Member  States  have  allocated  EUR  21.4  billion. 
ERDF  can  contribute  to  measures  supporting  investments  in  infrastructure  for  employment, 
social  inclusion  and  education  as  well  as  housing,  health,  business  start-up  support  and  the 
physical, economic and social regeneration of deprived communities in urban and rural areas, 
including through the Urban Innovative Actions Programme56.  

The European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) can contribute to support 
integration  under  the  priority  Promoting  Social  Inclusion,  poverty  reduction  and  economic 
development  in  rural  areas,  which  amounts  to  EUR  14.4  billion  overall  comprising 
possibilities of job creation and provision of basic services and action for social inclusion. 57  
The Commission is actively working with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that all funding 
instruments  are  used  to  their  maximum  potential  and  in  an  integrated  and  strategically 
coordinated  way.  It  promotes  exchange  of  experiences  across  actors  and  funds  and 
strengthening  the  capacity  of  the  actors  involved  to  ensure  a  coherent  approach.  An 
intensified  dialogue  and  mutual  learning  is  already  taking  place  through  the  AMIF-ISF58 
Committee.  Another  example  is  the  newly  established  European  Social  Fund  Transnational 
Cooperation  Network  on  Migration,  that  brings  together  ESF  Managing  Authorities,  social 
partners and other  relevant actors to exchange experiences on how to  best use  ESF funding 
(also in the context of synergies with the AMIF) for integration of third country nationals. The 
Commission  will  continue  deepening  its  strategic  dialogue  with  individual  Member  States 

54 http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/home-
affairs/financing/fundings/docs/synergies_between_amif_and_other_eu_funds_in_relation_to_migrants_en.pdf  
and http://ec.europa.eu/esf/BlobServlet?docId=14499&langId=en.    
55  Funding  is  also  available  under  both  funds  for  capacity  building,  good  governance  and  support  to  SMEs, 
which can also contribute to the overall investment to support integration of third country nationals.  
56 Specific guidance was issued by the European Commission for Member States in 2015 to tackle educational 
and  housing  segregation  of  marginalised  communities,  including  migrants,  under  the  ESI  Funds  programmes. 
See:http://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docgener/informat/2014/thematic_guidance_fiche_segregation_e
n.pdf  
57  Under  the  European  Structural  and  Investment  Funds,  the  European  Maritime  and  Fisheries  Fund  (EMFF) 
may  contribute  to  the  social  integration  of  migrants  by  providing  them  professional  training  and  education  as 
well  as  start-up  support  if  they  wish  to  become  self-employed.  It  can  also  support  the  implementation  of 
integrated local development strategies that may also provide a wide range of services to migrants. The Fund for 
European Aid to the most Deprived (FEAD) can support the provision of basic material assistance and/or social 
inclusion  measures  to  third-country  nationals  if  they  are  part  of  the  target  group  defined  at  national  level. 
ERASMUS+ provides EUR 400 million to Member States to improve social inclusion through education. The 
EU  has  been  funding  research  on  integration  of  migrants  under  Framework  Programme  7  and  under  Horizon 
2020.  For  a  review  of  the  most  relevant  findings  of  the  related  results  and  most  relevant  findings  see  Policy 
Review 'Research on Migration: Facing Realities and Maximising Opportunities' 2016, pp 51-87. 
58 Internal Security Fund.  

16 

 
 
                                                            
through  dedicated  meetings  and  by  providing  tailored  guidance  to  maximise  the  use  of  the 
available funding and to explore additional possibilities under existing programmes.  

Moreover,  the  Commission  will  continue  to  encourage  Member  States,  regional  and  local 
authorities as well as social partners and non-governmental organisations to make the fullest 
use of the partnership mechanisms for the implementation of the EU Funds59. Member States 
should  give  the  widest  possible  opportunities  for  organisations,  especially  those  with 
innovative approaches, to participate in calls for proposals under national programmes under 
these Funds. 

Finally,  the  Commission  aims  to  strengthen  EU  financial  support  to  Member  States  for  the 
integration of third country nationals under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund in the 
context of the 2017 draft budget. 

5. NEXT STEPS 

With this EU Action Plan on Integration, the Commission sets out policy priorities and tools 
for concrete actions to be undertaken at EU level in support of the action on integration taken 
at  Member  States'  level,  with  a  view  to  further  develop  and  strengthen  integration  policies 
across  the  EU.  In  our  efforts  to  build  more  resilient,  cohesive  and  ultimately  stronger 
societies, the time has come to shift gear across the board. The Commission will continue to 
mainstream  the  priority  of  immigrant  integration,  non-discrimination  and  inclusion  into  all 
relevant policy actions and areas, and looks to Member States to do the same. 

Furthermore, the Commission will continue to monitor integration policies and outcomes by 
building  on  and  further  developing  the  current  tools  and  indicators,  including  by  further 
strengthening cooperation with relevant actors60. On that basis, the Commission will continue 
to  analyse  integration  outcomes  of  third  country  nationals  and  provide  guidance,  where 
appropriate, to Member States in the framework of the European Semester61. 

For  their  part,  Member  States  are  invited  to  update  and  strengthen  their  integration  policies 
for legally resident third country nationals, building on this Action Plan, in view of new and 
future challenges and to ensure that all relevant policies are geared to supporting the objective 
of building more cohesive societies. Member States should also strategically examine how, in 
addition  to  the  integration-tailored  AMIF  funding,  other  relevant  financial  support  can  be 
timely channelled under the European Structural Investment Fund programmes and other EU 
funding  instruments  to  support  their  integration  objectives,  and  enhance  synergies  and 
complementarity across different policy areas and levels. 

59 In line with the provisions of Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) No 240/2014 of 7 January 2014 on the 
European code of conduct on partnership in the framework of the European Structural and Investment Funds, OJ 
L 74, 14.3.2014, p. 1–7.  
60 For instance, the EU has launched with the OECD a  joint international comparison of integration outcomes 
which  provides  policy  makers  with  benchmarks  to  relate  results  in  their  own  country  with  those  of  other 
countries and identify good practices. OECD/European Union 2015, Indicators of Immigration Integration 2015 
–  Settling  In.  Integration  outcomes  at  local  level  will  also  be  analysed  in  the  future.  The  EU  Agency  for 
Fundamental  Rights is currently  working on  monitoring  social  inclusion and  the participation of  migrants and 
their  descendants  in  society  from  a  fundamental  rights  perspective  and  will  publish  in  2017  the  results  of  the 
second  wave  of  the  largest  EU  wide  survey  on  experiences  of  discrimination,  hate  crime  victimisation  and 
societal participation of migrants and minorities (EU-MIDIS II). 
61 
http://ec.europa.eu/europe2020/making-it-happen/country-specific-recommendations/index_en.htm. 

Specific  Recommendations 

2016  Country 

18  May 

adopted 

2016: 

See 

the 

on 

17 

 
 
 
                                                            
The  Commission  will  regularly  review  the  implementation  of  the  actions  presented  in  this 
Action  Plan  and  the  progress  achieved  and  will  identify  additional  actions  needed,  and  will 
report to the European Parliament and the Council. 

---------------------------------------- 

FULL OVERVIEW OF ACTIONS FORESEEN AT EU LEVEL 2016-2017 

Pre-
departure/pre-
arrival 
measures 

Education 

Actions at EU level to support MS 

for 

for 

recognition 

support 
awareness, 

Launch projects to support effective pre-departure and pre-
arrival  measures,  including  in  the  context  of  resettlement 
programmes,  (e.g.  language  training,  information  about 
culture and values of destination country, etc.) under AMIF 
Engage with Member States to strengthen cooperation with 
selected third-countries on pre-departure measures under La 
Valletta Action Plan 
The new European Union Agency for Asylum will facilitate 
the  exchange  of  best  practices  in  the  area  of  pre-departure 
integration measures 
Provide Erasmus+ online language assessment and learning 
for around 100.000 newly arrived third country nationals, in 
particular refugees  
Support  peer  learning  events  for  national  and  regional 
language 
authorities  on  welcome  classes,  skills  and 
children, 
unaccompanied 
assessment, 
intercultural 
academic 
of 
qualifications, and integration into higher education. 
Create  European  Policy  Networks 
researchers, 
practitioners,  local/regional  decision  makers  to  share  good 
practices  on  integration  of  recently  arrived  individuals 
through formal and non-formal education. 
Remove  barriers  to  the  participation  of  third  country 
national migrant children girls and boys to early childhood 
education through the development of the European Quality 
Framework  for  Early  Childhood  Education  and  Care 
(ECEC),  including  assistance  to  and  providing  helping  to 
support  ECEC  staff  to  respond  to  the  specific  situation  of 
migrant families. 
Promote  the  upskilling  of  low-skilled  and  low-qualified 
persons in the context of the New Skills Agenda for Europe  
Fund  transnational  projects  and  partnerships  to  support 
inclusive  education,  training  and  youth  with  a  particular 
focus  on  projects  related  to  migration  and  intercultural 
dialogue under Erasmus+ 
Continue  to  analyse  integration  outcomes  of  third  country 
nationals in the framework of the European Semester 
Provide  support  to  teachers  and  school  staff  on  how  to 
promote  inclusive  education  and  address  specific  needs  of 
migrant  learners  and  refugee  integration  through  online 
courses  and  professional  development  activities  using  the 
online platform School Education Gateway 

Indicative 
timing 

Key 
Actors 

2016/2017 

2016 

COM,  MS, 
civil  society, 
third 
countries 
COM,  MS, 
third 
countries 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

2016 

COM 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

2017 

COM 

2016 

COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS, 
civil society  

yearly 

COM 

2016 

COM 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Develop  a  "Skills  Toolkit  for  Third  Country  Nationals" 
under the New Skills Agenda for Europe to support timely 
identification  of  skills  and  qualifications  for  asylum 
seekers, refugees and other third country nationals. 
Improve  recognition  of  academic  qualifications  of  third 
country nationals through among other things:  
  Training  of  staff  in  reception  facilities  to  allow  faster 

launch of recognition procedures 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

  Improve  access 

academic 
international protection  

qualifications 

to  procedures  for  recognition  of 
of 

beneficiaries 

for 

Labour  Market 
and  vocational 
training 

  Improve the communication channels for the sharing of 
information  between  ENIC-NARIC  centres  and 
relevant  stakeholders,  including  NGO’s  undertaking 
education activities in reception facilities 

training  (e.  g. 

  Develop  a  toolkit  for  credential  evaluators  supporting 
recognition of academic qualifications of refugees.  
Improve  transparency  and  understanding  of  qualifications 
acquired  in  third-countries,  through  the  revision  of  the 
European  Qualifications  Framework,  (proposal  for  a 
Council  recommendation  adopted  under  the  New  Skills 
Agenda  for  Europe)  that  will  enhance  its  implementation 
and  extend  its  scope  to  include  the  possibility  to  establish 
links with qualifications frameworks of other regions of the 
world 
Fund  projects  promoting:  "fast  track"  insertion  into  labour 
through  skills 
market  and  vocational 
assessment  and  validation,  employment  focused  language 
training,  on  the  job  training)  labour  market  integration  of 
refugees and of women (EaSI/AMIF) 
Promote  sharing  of  promising  practices  on  labour  market 
integration  through  existing  networks  and  programmes 
(European Network of Public Employment Services, Youth 
guarantee  coordinators,  Mutual  Learning  Programme  and 
the European Network for Rural Development) 
Develop  an  online  repository  of  promising  practices  on 
integration  into  the  labour  market  of  asylum  seekers  and 
refugees as a source for policy makers in Member States. 
Science4Refugee:  initiative  to  match  refugees  and  asylum 
seekers  who  have  a  scientific  background  with  suitable 
positions in universities and research institutions in the EU. 
Provide  funding  to  strengthen  capacity  of  municipalities 
and  local  authorities  on reception  and  integration  practices 
for refugees, with a focus on labour market integration 
Continue  to  analyse  integration  outcomes  of  third  country 
nationals in the framework of the European Semester 
Improve  outreach  activities  towards  young  vulnerable 
NEETs,  including  with  migrant  background,  within  the 
Youth Guarantee Schemes 
Identify  best  practices  to  promote  and  support  migrant 
entrepreneurship  and 
their 
dissemination. 
Social  Innovation  Competition  to  award  innovations  in 
products,  technologies,  services  and  models  that  can 
support  the  integration  of  refugees  and  other  third  country 
nationals. 
Promote  sharing of promising  practices  on integration  into 
VET  and  peer  learning  through  existing  policy  initiatives 
and  programmes  (European  Alliance  for  Apprenticeships, 
European  Pact  for  Youth,  Erasmus+,  ESF,  Education  and 

fund  pilot  projects 

for 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS 
civil society 

2016 

COM, MS 

2016 

COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM 

2016/2017

COM,  MS, 
LRA 

yearly 

COM 

2016-2017 

COM, MS 

2016 

COM, MS 

2016 

2016-2017 

COM, 
private 
sector 

COM,  MS, 
private 
sector 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
Access to basic 
services 

Active 
participation 
and 
inclusion 

social 

third 

Training 2010) 
Promote  the  use  of  EU  funds  for  reception,  education, 
housing,  health  and  social  infrastructures  for  third  country 
nationals  
Strengthen  cooperation  with  the  European  Investment 
Bank,  to  provide  funding  for  temporary  accommodation 
and  health  facilities  for  newly  arrived  third  country 
nationals and social housing. 
Promote  peer  learning  among  Member  States  on  how  to 
address housing challenges  
Support best practices in care provision for vulnerable third 
country  nationals  and  refugees,  including  women,  children 
and  older  persons  under  the  Health  Programme  (Annual 
Work Plan 2016).  
Develop pilot training modules for health professionals and 
law  enforcement  officers  on  health  for  third  country 
nationals, with the view to upgrade and strengthen the skills 
and  capabilities  of  first  line  health  professionals,  and 
promote a holistic approach to health care of individuals.  
Develop  handbooks  and  toolboxes  for  practitioners  on 
cultural  awareness  and  expression;  intercultural  dialogue; 
active  participation  of  third  country  nationals  in  political, 
social,  cultural  life  and  sports  in  the  host  societies;  and 
contribution of youth work  
Launch  projects  to  promote  Intercultural  dialogue  and 
European  values  through  culture,  films  and  arts  (Creative 
Europe)  
Fund  projects  promoting 
country  nationals’ 
participation  in  political,  social  and  cultural  life  under 
AMIF 
Fund  network  of  towns,  town-twinning  and  civil  society 
projects  on  civic  participation,  including  for  third  country 
nationals, under the Europe for Citizens Programme 
Address  xenophobia  by  raising  awareness  and  promoting 
best practices on countering xenophobic acts and speech in 
the context of the newly created EU High Level  Group on 
combating 
forms  of 
racism,  xenophobia  and  other 
intolerance 
Promote  projects  that  deal  with  the  integration  of  refugees 
the 
under 
Erasmus+ programme) 
Fund  projects  on  preventing  and  combating  racism  and 
including  hate  crime  and  hate  speech, 
xenophobia, 
create  better  understanding  between 
initiatives 
communities  and  fostering  interreligious  and  intercultural 
activities  and  projects  and  EU  NGOs  combatting 
discrimination under the REC programme 
Create a one-stop-shop webpage to provide information on 
the relevant EU funding  supporting  projects and initiatives 
fostering tolerance and combatting racism, xenophobia and 
discrimination 
Fund  projects  to  disseminate  and  replicate  good  practices 
promoting social inclusion at grass-root level, including on 
integration under Erasmus+  
Develop a toolbox for policy makers and youth workers on 
the contribution of youth work and informal and non-formal 
learning in integration 
Fund transnational cultural and audiovisual projects to 
support refugee integration, under Creative Europe 
Launch projects  to  promote  social  inclusion through  youth 

the  European  Voluntary  Service  (part  of 

to 

2016-2017 

COM 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS, 
EIB 

2017 

COM, MS 

2016 

2016-2017 

2016-2017 

2016 

2016-2017 

2016-2020 

COM,  MS, 
health 
stakeholders 

COM,  MS, 
health 
stakeholders 

COM,  MS, 
education 
stakeholders 

COM,  MS, 
civil society 

 COM,  MS, 
civil society 

COM,  MS, 
LRA, 
civil 
society 

2016 
onwards 

COM,  MS, 
civil society 

2016 

COM,  MS, 
civil society 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS, 
civil society 

2016 

2016-2017 

2016-2017 

2016 

2016 

COM 

COM 

COM,  MS, 
education 
stakeholders 
COM,  Civil 
society 
COM,  MS, 

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
and sport under Erasmus+ 
Fund  projects  for  the  early  identification,  protection  and 
integration of third-country nationals victims of trafficking, 
including  a  focus  on  children  and  unaccompanied  children 
under AMIF 
Continue  to  work  with  the  European  Parliament  and  the 
Council  towards  the  adoption  of  the  antidiscrimination 
Directive. 
Identify  and  disseminate  good  practices  on  supporting 
women 
Strengthen  the  Network  of  the  National  Contact  Points  on 
Integration  and  transform  it  into  a  "European  Integration 
Network"  promoting  mutual  learning  between  Member 
States  
Promote 
levels  of 
cooperation  between  different 
governance, including the regional and local level, through 
a Partnership under the EU Urban Agenda focussing on the 
integration of third country nationals 
Support  innovative  actions  at  local  level  through  targeted 
funding,  including  under  the  Urban  Innovative  Actions 
Programme 
Enhance  coordination  and  strategic  alignment  of  all  the 
relevant  EU  funding  instruments  to  increase  impact  of  the 
EU  support  on  the  overall  integration  of  third  country 
nationals 
Reinforce  cooperation  through  dedicated  exchanges  and 
visits  with  responsible  national  authorities  across  the 
relevant EU Funds 
In  the  context  of  the  partnership  principle  and  shared 
responsibility,  strengthen  the  involvement  of  all  relevant 
actors including through supporting exchange of experience 
between  different  actors  on  the  use  of  ESF  funding  for 
refugees 
the  ESF  Transnational 
Cooperation Network on Migration 
Further develop evidence on integration at EU level, 
including through monitoring integration outcomes at local 
level 
Monitor  social  inclusion  and  the  participation  of  third 
country  nationals  migrants  in  society  from  a  fundamental 
rights perspective  

integration 

through 

Tools for 
coordination, 
funding and 
monitoring 

civil society 

COM,  MS, 
civil society 

2016-2017 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS, 
civil society 

2016-2017  COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS, 
LRA,  

2016-2017  COM, LRA 

2016-2017  COM, MS 

2016-2017  COM, MS 

2016-2017 

COM,  MS, 
other actors 

2016-2017 

2016 

COM,  MS, 
also in coop. 
with OECD 
EU  Agency 
for 
Fundamental 
Rights  

21