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 Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027
Date: 2020-11-24
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
Subjects: EU migration policy, action programme, economic and social cohesion, equal treatment, foreign national, integration into employment, integration of migrants, marginalisation, migrant, social integration

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  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 24.11.2020  COM(2020) 758 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 Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027     {SWD(2020) 290 final}  
 
 
Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027 

“We will make sure that people who have the right to stay are integrated and made to feel 
welcome. They have a future to build – and skills, energy and talent.” 

President von der Leyen, State of the Union Address 2020 

1.  Fostering social cohesion and building inclusive societies for all 

The  European  way  of  life  is  an  inclusive  one.  Integration  and  inclusion  are  key  for  people 
coming  to  Europe,  for  local  communities,  and  for  the  long-term  well-being  of  our  societies 
and the stability of our economies. If we want to help our societies and economies thrive, we 
need to support everyone who is part of society, with integration being both a right and a duty 
for all.  

This  means  empowering  those  facing  disadvantages,  while  ensuring  our  communities  are 
united  and  cohesive.  It  means  giving  equal  opportunities  to  all  to  enjoy  their  rights  and 
participate  in  community  and  social  life,  regardless  of  the  background  and  in  line  with  the 
European  Pillar  of  Social  Rights.  It  also  means  respecting  common  European  values  as 
enshrined  in  the  EU  Treaties  and  in  the  Charter  of  Fundamental  Rights  of  the  European 
Union, including democracy, the rule of law, the freedoms of speech and religion, as well as 
the rights to equality and non-discrimination. These fundamental values are an essential part 
of  living  and  participating  in  European  society.  They  are  also  the  reasoning  behind  the 
creation  of  the  ‘Promoting  our  European  way  of  life’  portfolio  within  the  Commission  – 
defending the simple but essential premise that everybody matters, that no one should be left 
behind,  and  that  all  should  be  able  to  effectively  exercise  their  rights  and  have  access  to 
opportunities and security.  

The  challenge  of  integration  and  inclusion  is  particularly  relevant  for  migrants,  not  only 
newcomers but sometimes also for third-country nationals who might have naturalised and are 
EU citizen1. This is why the scope of this action plan covers both migrants and EU citizens 
with  a  migrant  background2.  It  is  thus  broader  than  the  2016  Commission  action  plan  on 
integration3, which covered only third country nationals.  

Ensuring effective integration and inclusion in the EU of migrants is a social and economic 
investment that makes European societies more cohesive, resilient and prosperous. Integration 

1 The expression “EU citizens with migrant background” covers nationals of EU Member States who had a third-
country nationality and became EU citizens through naturalisation in one of the EU Member States as well as 
EU citizens who have a third country migrant background through their foreign-born parents. EU citizens with 
migrant background benefit from the status and rights of EU citizens, as enshrined in Articles 20 and 21 of the 
Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. 
2 EU citizens with migrant background cannot be subject to the fulfilment of integration conditions in order to 
access their rights linked to EU citizenship. Directive 2004/38/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council 
of 29 April 2004 on the right of citizens of the Union and their family members to move and reside freely within 
the  territory  of  the  Member  States  amending  Regulation  (EEC)  No  1612/68  and  repealing  Directives 
64/221/EEC,  68/360/EEC,  72/194/EEC,  73/148/EEC,  75/34/EEC,  75/35/EEC,  90/364/EEC,  90/365/EEC  and 
93/96/EEC (OJ L 158, 30.4.2004, p. 77). Furthermore, third country family members of mobile EU citizens fall 
under  the  Free  Movement  Directive  2004/38/EC.  These  family  members  have  specific  rights  of  entry  and 
residence, which cannot be subject to other additional conditions than the ones established in this Directive. 
3 Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/what-we-do/policies/european-agenda-
migration/proposal-implementation-package/docs/20160607/communication_action_plan_integration_third-
country_nationals_en.pdf. 

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and  inclusion  can  and  should  be  a  win-win  process,  benefiting  the  entire  society.  But  if 
integration  and  inclusion  are  to  be  successful,  it  must  also  be  a  two-way  process  whereby 
migrants and EU citizens with migrant background are offered help to integrate and they in 
turn  make  an  active  effort  to  become  integrated.  The  integration  process  involves  the  host 
society,  which  should  create  the  opportunities  for  the  immigrants'  full  economic,  social, 
cultural, and political participation. It also involves adaptation by migrants who all have rights 
and responsibilities in relation to their new country of residence. 

Today,  around  34  million  inhabitants  were  born  outside  the  EU  (around  8%  of  the  EU 
population)4 and 10% of young people (15-34 years) born in the EU have at least one foreign-
born  parent5.  While  the proportion  of  inhabitants  born  outside  the  EU  has  overall  increased 
over recent years6, it still varies widely across Member States. It is around 10% or above in 
Sweden,  Estonia,  Luxembourg,  Croatia,  Latvia,  Austria,  Malta  and  Germany,  while  it  is 
below 3% in Czechia, Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria, Poland and Slovakia. 
Above  a  quarter  of  migrants  are  highly  educated7.  They  offer  resources,  ambition  and 
motivation but they often are not able to put their skills to use. Almost 40% are overqualified 
for the job they do8. We cannot afford to waste this potential. At the same time, almost a fifth 
of migrants have only primary school education and need further support. 

Migrants  and  EU  citizens  with  a  migrant  background  play  a  key  role  in  the  European 
economy and society. The COVID-19 crisis has made their contribution all the more evident9. 
Many  helped  address  the  crisis  as  workers  in  essential  services,  doctors  and  nurses.  At  the 
same time, they are among those who are more exposed to the pandemic10. The EU will need 
everyone’s  contribution  to  the  recovery  and  resilience  of  our  economies  in  the  aftermath  of 
COVID-1911. It is therefore not only a moral duty in line with the EU’s fundamental values, 
but also an economic imperative to step up action in promoting integration and inclusion. As 
shown  by  recent  research,  fully  integrating  migrants  into  the  labour  market  could  generate 
large economic gains, including fiscal profits, contributions to national pension schemes and 
national welfare in general12.  

This  action  plan  is  part  of  the  comprehensive  response  to  tackling  the  challenges  linked  to 
migration  put  forward  in  the  New  Pact  on  Migration  and  Asylum13.  Successful  integration 

4 Eurostat, Population data, 2019 (note that all indicators provided below refer to EU-27 area).  
5  Estimates  for  2017  (latest  year  available)  based  on  OECD/EU  (2018),  Settling  In,  Indicators  of  Immigrant 
Integration, section 7. 
6  At  the  end  of  2019,  most  residence  permits  in  the  EU  were  issued  for  the  following  reasons:  family  (38%), 
work (17%), asylum (9%), education (1%) and other (32%). Source: Eurostat, residence permits data. See also: 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/statistics-migration-
europe_en.  
7 26.8% of non-EU born adults (25-64) had a high level of education in 2019 (Eurostat, EU-LFS).  
8 38.6% in 2019, based on Eurostat, EU-LFS (age group 20-64). Overqualification is defined as working in low 
or medium skilled occupations (ISCO 4-9) despite having a high level of education (ISCED 5-8).  
9  See:  JRC  (2020),  Immigrant  Key  Workers:  Their  Contribution  to  Europe’s  COVID-19  Response 
https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/sites/know4pol/files/key_workers_covid_0423.pdf. 
10  See:  OECD  (2020),  What  is  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  immigrants  and  their  children?, 
http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/what-is-the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-
immigrants-and-their-children-e7cbb7de. Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021 COM(2020) 575 final. 
11 See: Annual Sustainable Growth Strategy 2021, COM(2020) 575 final. 
12  For  instance,  fully  integrating  migrants  into  the  labour  market  could  generate  up  to  €3  500  increase  in  the 
average  net  fiscal  contribution  of  each  migrant  by  2035.  See:  JRC  (2020),  Projecting  the  net  fiscal  impact  of 
immigration in the EU, https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC121937. 
13  Available  at:  https://ec.europa.eu/info/strategy/priorities-2019-2024/promoting-our-european-way-life/new-
pact-migration-and-asylum_en.  

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policies  are  also  a  cornerstone  of  a  well-functioning  asylum  and  migration  management 
system.  They  underpin  and  complement  Member  States’  asylum  and  migration  policies,  by 
ensuring  that  all  individuals  who  have  a  right  to  stay  in  the  EU  can  fully  take  part  in  our 
societies. They can also support the dialogue with third countries and programmes under the 
external dimension of the EU’s migration and development policies.  Migrants are often part 
of  various  forms  of  socialisation  in  the  diaspora  communities  in  the  EU  Member  States. 
Diaspora  can  play  a  critical  role  to  support  inclusion  in  host  societies,  contribute  to 
investments, innovation and development, while also preserving relationship with countries of 
origin.  

This  action  plan  covers  all  the  different  stages  and  phases  of  the  integration  process:  pre-
departure measures, reception and early integration, long-term integration, and the building of 
inclusive  and  cohesive  societies.  It  takes  into  account  the  different  situation  of  migrant 
populations in Member States and supports Member States and other relevant stakeholders in 
finding the adequate response in their integration and inclusion policies. 

2.  Lessons learnt from the 2016 action plan on integration and key facts and figures 

on integration and inclusion 

This action plan builds upon, among other things, the achievements of the 2016 Commission 
action  plan  on  the  integration  of  third-country  nationals.  Following  its  adoption,  the 
Commission put in place more than 50 concrete actions to support Member States and other 
key stakeholders across a broad spectrum of policy areas: pre-departure/pre-arrival measures, 
education, employment and vocational training, access to basic services, active participation 
and  social  inclusion.  The  Commission  also  strengthened  its  tools  for  coordination,  funding 
and  monitoring.  In  many  Member  States,  the  action  plan  contributed  to  the  development  or 
review of national integration strategies and provided information  on the use  of funding for 
integration.  In  a  number  of  cases,  tailor-made  technical  support  was  provided  to  national 
authorities in designing and implementing integration policy reforms14.  

However, persisting challenges in relation to employment, education, access to basic services 
and  to  the  social  inclusion  of  migrants  demonstrate  that  additional  action  is  needed  as 
described below. 

Key facts and figures on integration and inclusion (EU-27, 2019)15  

14 For more details on the implementation of the 2016 action plan, see the Commission Staff Working Document 
Assessment  of  the  implementation  of  the  2016  action  plan  on  the  integration  of  third-country  nationals, 
SWD(2020) 290.  
15 Eurostat 2019 data. Education and employment indicators based on EU-LFS. Poverty and housing indicators 
based  on  EU-SILC.  Migrants  defined  as  those  born  outside  of  EU-28  (as  the  reference  year  is  2019,  UK 
nationals were  not counted  as  ‘non-EU  migrants’: given their  small  share  in overall migrant population  in  the 
EU, this does not make a difference in terms of overall gaps in integration outcomes).  

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In addition to the gaps faced by migrants in key areas such as education,  employment, poverty, 
social exclusion and housing (see charts above), migrants also face an unfavourable situation in 
the following areas: 

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  Young  migrants  (18-24)  born  outside  the  EU  were  much  more  likely  (21%)  than  natives 
(12.5%) to be ‘neither in employment nor in education and training’, especially migrant girls 
and young women (25.9%). 

  Migrants  are  more  likely  to  face  unmet  medical  needs16  related  to  various  factors  such  as: 
lack of access or limited health insurance (in some countries) depending on residence status, 
lack of knowledge on how to access services, financial resources, concentration of migrants 
in  some disadvantaged areas with  lower access to  quality health  services,  language barriers 
and lack of adaptation of national systems to the specific needs of migrants. 

  While the proportion of migrants in the population of rural areas is relatively low (2.9%)17, 
they  tend  to  fare  worse  on  most  indicators  of  integration  not  only  compared  to  natives  but 
also with respect to migrants living in cities and towns18. As there is generally a shortage of 
basic services in many rural areas, migrants may also lack the specific support services that 
they need. 

Moreover, the implementation of the 2016 action plan confirmed that, while the areas targeted 
by  the  action  plan  remain  relevant,  stronger  action  is  needed  to  promote  the  integration  of 
migrant  women,  to  foster  the inclusion  of  EU  citizens  with  a  migrant  background,  to  better 
involve the host society in integration and inclusion policies and to strengthen monitoring and 
evaluation  of  these  policies.  The  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  migrants  and  EU 
citizens  with  a  migrant  background  has  also  highlighted  the  need  to  increase  action  to 
facilitate their access to healthcare services. 

3.  Key principles and values of the EU action plan on integration and inclusion 

The EU’s work on integration and inclusion is underpinned by a shared set of principles and 
values, which should also guide the work of Member States when they design, implement or 
review their strategies. This is true across the full range of EU inclusion policies, as set out by 
the European Pillar of Social Rights. 

Inclusion for all 

Inclusion  for  all  is  about  ensuring  that  all  policies  are  accessible to  and  work  for  everyone, 
including  migrants  and  EU  citizens  with  migrant  background.  This  means  adapting  and 
transforming  mainstream  policies  to  the  needs  of  a  diverse  society,  taking  into  account  the 
specific challenges and needs of different groups. Actions to help migrants integrate need not, 
and  should  not,  be  at  the  expense  of  measures  to  benefit  other  vulnerable  or  disadvantaged 
groups or minorities. On the contrary, they contribute to make policies more inclusive overall.  

This  action  plan  promotes  an  integrated  approach  to  migrants  inclusion  and  aims  to  create 
close  synergies  with  existing  and  upcoming  EU  strategies  to  foster  equality  and  social 
cohesion  to  ensure  everyone  is  fully  included  and  participates  in  European  societies.  In 
particular,  it  will  be  implemented  in  close  interaction  with  the  forthcoming  action  plan  to 
implement the European Pillar of Social Rights and the EU’s anti-racism action plan19. It will 
also  build  synergies  with  the  EU  Roma  strategic  framework  for  equality,  inclusion  and 

16 Based on EU-SILC data, see OECD/EU (2018), Settling In, Indicators of Immigrant Integration, Figure 4.11. 
“Unmet medical needs”. 
17 Eurostat, EU-LFS (2019) 
18 See: JRC (2020), Migration in EU Rural Areas: 
https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/bitstream/JRC116919/migration_in_eu_rural_areas.pdf. 
19 A Union of equality : EU anti-racism action plan 2020-2025, COM(2020)565 final. 

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participation20 the LGBTIQ equality strategy 2020-202521, the forthcoming strategy to combat 
antisemitism  and  the  EU  citizenship  report.  It  will  aim  to  build  and  strengthen  contact  and 
trust between different communities within society, and fight isolation and segregation.  

A more cohesive and inclusive society for all can also help prevent the spread of all forms of 
extremist  ideologies  that  can  lead  to  terrorism  and  violent  extremism.  Enhanced  preventive 
actions  can,  in  turn, address  societal  tensions  and  extremist  ideologies  and  thus  foster 
integration  and  peaceful  coexistence  among  communities  and  individuals.  Through  the 
Radicalisation  Awareness  Network22,  the  Commission  supports  first  line  practitioners  from 
across Europe to develop best practices and equip them with the skills they need to address 
violent  extremism,  support  resilience  building  and  disengagement,  as  well  as  rehabilitation 
and  reintegration  in  society.  Promoting  inclusion  and  providing  opportunities  for  young 
people  at  risk  through  education,  culture,  youth  and  sports  can  further  contribute  to  the 
prevention of radicalisation, and cohesion inside the EU. Working closely with practitioners 
and  local  actors  can  be  particularly  effective  in  preventing  radicalisation.  Inclusion  is  also 
about  addressing  unconscious  bias and  achieving  a  change  in  mentality  and the  way  people 
perceive one another and approach the unknown. 

Targeted support where needed  

While  mainstream  social  policies  should  be  inclusive  for  all  and  mindful  of  the  needs  of  a 
diverse society, certain groups and certain areas in host countries will need targeted support to 
overcome  specific  challenges.  Newly  arrived  migrants  often  face  a  number  of  challenges 
when  integrating  into  European  societies,  depending  on  how  they  arrived,  their  skills  level, 
language  knowledge  and  their  background.  Within  each  policy  area,  policymakers  should 
design  targeted  and  tailored  support  mechanisms  to  help  newcomers  quickly  integrate.  An 
example  are  complementary  courses  designed  for  highly  qualified  migrants  to  help  them 
make the best use of their skills in their new job23. Member States under migratory pressure 
face additional challenges in developing or expanding such targeted measures and should in 
particular be supported. Children will need additional protective support, always ensuring the 
best interest of the child, not least when they are unaccompanied24.  

Mainstreaming gender and anti-discrimination priorities 

This  action  plan  will  take  into  account  the  combination  of  personal  characteristics,  such  as 
gender,  racial  or  ethnic  origin,  religion  or  belief,  sexual  orientation  and  disability  that  can 
represent  specific  challenges  for  migrants.  It  will  build  on  and  complement  the  Gender 
Equality  Strategy  2020-2025,  the  EU  anti-racism  action  plan  2020-2025,  the  EU  Roma 
Strategic Framework for equality, inclusion and participation, the LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 
and the forthcoming Strategy on the rights of persons with disabilities25.  

20 A Union of Equality: EU Roma strategic framework for equality, inclusion and participation, COM(2020)620 
final.  
21 A Union of Equality: LGBTIQ Equality Strategy 2020-2025, COM(2020)698 final.  
22 The Radicalisation Awareness Network (RAN), brings together over 6,000 first line practitioners from across 
Europe to develop best practices, and equip them with the skills they need to address violent extremism. Further 
actions on prevention of radicalisation will be part of the upcoming EU Agenda on Counter-terrorism. 
23 These courses are designed specifically to help migrants complement the education acquired abroad. 
24 The specific challenges that children in migration face in relation to access to integration measures will also be 
addressed in the upcoming EU Strategy on the Rights of the Child. 
25  The  respect  for  human  rights  standards  and  the  inclusion  of  a  gender  perspective  in  partnerships  and 
agreements  on  migration  between  the  EU  and  third  countries  is  also  supported  by  the  EU  Action  Plan  on 
Women, Peace and Security (2019-2024) EEAS(2019) 747. 

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In particular, migrant women and girls face additional obstacles to integration compared to 
migrant men and boys, often having to overcome structural barriers linked to their being both 
a migrant and female, including facing stereotypes. They are more likely to come to the EU to 
join  a  family  member,  bringing  with  them  domestic  responsibilities  that  can  prevent  them 
from  fully  participating  in  the  labour  market  and  in  integration  programmes,  skills 
assessments,  re-training  and  other  measures  when  these  do  not  cater  for  such  caring 
responsibilities.  When  employed,  migrant  women  are  more  likely  to  be  over-qualified  for 
their jobs than native women26.  

Moreover, EU citizens with a migrant background often face direct or indirect discrimination 
as well as racism when searching for housing or employment, or in their daily lives at school, 
in the neighbourhood and at work. Such discrimination can be based solely on their migrant 
background,  but  may  be  exacerbated  due  to  their  ethnic  or  racial  origin  as  well  as  their 
religion  or  belief.  LGBTIQ27  migrants  and  migrants  with  disabilities  can  also  face  multiple 
forms of discrimination.  

Support at all stages of the integration process 

The  successful  integration  of  migrants  depends  both  on  early  action  and  long-term 
investment.  Providing  support  to  migrants  and  their  receiving  communities  at  the  earliest 
possible  moment  in  the  migration  process  is  essential.  Integration  can  start  even  prior  to 
arrival  in  the  EU.  Member  States  should  therefore,  where  possible,  set  up  and  expand  pre-
departure  integration  measures  (e.g.  training,  orientation  courses),  and  effectively  link  them 
with post-arrival measures to facilitate and speed up the integration process, including in the 
context of resettlement and community sponsorship28. 

to  supporting  ongoing 

At  the  same  time,  integration  does  not  stop  after  a  defined  period  of  time.  This  is  why 
mainstream  policies  are  essential 
inclusion  and  meaningful 
participation. The proposed Multiannual Financial Framework 2021-2027 takes into account 
the  need  for  investments  along  the  whole  integration  pathway,  through  a  dedicated  Asylum 
and Migration Fund, and financial support in the areas of employment, education, social and 
health care, and housing through Cohesion Policy Funds, such as the European Social Fund 
Plus,  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  and  other  funds  such  as  the  European 
Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and Erasmus+.  

Maximising EU added value through multi-stakeholder partnerships 

While national governments are primarily responsible for the overall design of integration and 
social  policies  such  as  education,  employment,  housing  and  healthcare,  the  EU  plays  a  key 
role in supporting them and all other integration actors through funding, developing practical 
tools, coordinating actions and establishing relevant partnerships.  

Integration  happens  in  every  village,  city  and  region  where  migrants  live,  work  and  go  to 
school  or  to  a  sports  club.  The  local  level  plays  a  key  role  in  welcoming  and  guiding 
newcomers when they first arrive in their new country. In addition, civil society organisations, 

26 40.7% for migrant women in 2019, compared to 21.1% among native women (age group: 20-64), based on 
Eurostat,  EU-LFS.  See  also JRC  (2020), Gaps  in  the  EU Labour  Market  Participation Rates:  an  intersectional 
assessment of the role of gender and migrant status. 
27  LGBTIQ  people  are  people:  who  are  attracted  to  others  of  their  own  gender  (lesbian,  gay)  or  any  gender 
(bisexual); whose gender identity and/or expression does not correspond to the sex they were assigned at birth 
(trans, non-binary); who are born with sex characteristics that do not fit the typical definition of male or female 
(intersex); or whose identity does not fit into a binary classification of sexuality and/or gender (queer). 
28 As stressed in the Commission Recommendation on legal pathways to protection in the EU, C (2020) 6467 
final, community sponsorship models can enable faster and more efficient integration for refugees. 

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institutions,  employers  and  socio-economic  partners,  social  economy 
educational 
organisations,  churches,  religious  and  other  philosophical  communities,  youth  and  students’ 
organisations,  diaspora  organisations  as  well  as  migrants  themselves  play  a  key  role  in 
achieving a truly effective and comprehensive integration policy.  

4.  Actions in main sectoral areas  

This action plan sets out measures to step up action and to bring together actors at all levels in 
a  common  endeavour  to  achieve  integration  and  inclusion  and  to  ultimately  build  more 
cohesive  and  inclusive  societies  for  all.  While  building  on  the  achievements  of  the  2016 
action  plan  on  the  integration  of  third-country  nationals,  this  action  plan  proposes  new  and 
broader measures whereby the EU and Member States can bring most added value and have a 
greater impact. These actions complement those included in recent equality strategies29. The 
proposed  actions  are  based  on  broad  consultations  that  the  Commission  conducted  between 
June and October 2020 among a wide range of actors. These include a public consultation as 
well as targeted consultations with Member States, local and regional authorities, social and 
economic  partners,  employers,  civil  society  organisations,  foundations, 
international 
organisations and migrants, including refugees30. 

I.  Education and training 

From  early  childhood  education  and  care  (ECEC)  to  tertiary  and  adult  education  and  non 
formal  education,  education  and  training  is  the  foundation  for  successful  participation  in 
society and one of the most powerful tools for building more inclusive societies. The COVID-
19 pandemic has made the importance of inclusion and equality of opportunities in education 
even  more  evident.  Inclusion  and  gender  equality  is  one  of  six  dimensions  of  the  European 
Education  Area31  to  be  achieved  by  2025  through  the  rolling-out  of  a  number  of  concrete 
initiatives. Making our education systems more inclusive is also a key objective of the Digital 
Education  Action  Plan32.  The  European  Skills  Agenda  boosts  skills  development  all  across 
life 33. 

Schools  have  the  potential  to  be  real  hubs  of  integration  for  children  and  their  families. 
Increasing  the  participation  of  migrant  children  and  children  with  a  migrant  background  in 
ECEC  while  ensuring  that  such  programmes  are  equipped  to  serve  culturally  and 
linguistically  diverse  children  can  have  a  strong  positive  effect  on  their  future  educational 
attainment,  including  in  learning  the  host  country  language,  and  on  the  integration  of  their 
parents  and  families  at  large.  A  school  environment  that  involves  communities,  support 
services and parents can be particularly beneficial for children with a migrant background. To 
achieve this, teachers need to be equipped with the necessary skills and resources to teach in 
multicultural and multilingual classrooms and to support children with a migrant background 
throughout their education. Fighting segregation in schools and fostering interactions between 

the 

Results 

consultations 

29 For example, the Gender Equality Strategy 2020-2025, COM(2020)152 final, and the EU anti-racism action 
plan 2020-2025, COM(2020) 565 final.  
30 
https://ec.europa.eu/home-
of 
affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/summary/summary_of_consultations_in_view_of_the_action_plan_on_integration
_and_inclusion.pdf.  
31 Communication on achieving the European Education Area by 2025, COM(2020) 625 final. 
32 Digital Education Action Plan 2021-2027. Resetting education and training for the digital age, COM(2020)624 
final. 
33Communication on a European Skills Agenda for sustainable competitiveness, social fairness and resilience, 
COM(2020) 274 final. 

found 

here: 

can 

be 

8 

 
 
                                                            
migrant  and  native  children,  is  also  crucial  to making  our  education  system  more  inclusive. 
By teaching democracy, citizenship and critical thinking skills, schools play an important role in 
preventing  young  people  from  being  attracted  to  violent  extremist  ideologies,  organisations 
and movements34. 

Migrant children with disabilities need additional support to participate in education on equal 
basis with others. Inclusion will be the leitmotif of the upcoming EU Comprehensive Strategy 
on  the  Rights  of  the  Child,  which  will  seek  to  ensure  that  all  children,  regardless  of  origin, 
ability, socio-economic background, legal and residence status have equal access to the same 
set of rights and protection.  The youth sector, and youth work in particular, can help young 
migrants gain skills and competences through non-formal learning. 

The  transition  into  adulthood  and  from  school  to  work  can  be  particularly  challenging  for 
recently  arrived  migrant  children,  in  particular  unaccompanied  young  people,  not  least 
because support measures often stop when a child reaches 18 years of age. Preparing for such 
a transition in advance – through supporting their educational achievement, including them in 
vocational education and training and in the Youth Guarantee35, and providing coaching and 
mentoring – can be particularly effective.  

Facilitating  the  recognition  of  qualifications  acquired  in  third  countries,  promoting  their 
visibility  and  increasing  comparability  with  European/EU  qualifications,  while  offering 
bridging  courses  to  help  migrants  complement  the  education  acquired  abroad,  is  key  to  a 
faster  and  fairer  inclusion  of  migrants  into  the  labour  market  and  enables  them  to  fully  use 
their  competences  and  skills.  This  can  also  help  migrants  pursue  their  studies  in  the  host 
country thus increasing their level of participation in higher education and lifelong learning.  

Learning  the  language  of  the  host  country  is  crucial  in  order  to  successfully  integrate. 
However,  this  should  not  stop  a  few  months  after  arrival.  Language  classes  should  be 
supported  also  for  intermediate  and  advanced  courses  and  tailored  to  the  needs  of  different 
groups. Combining language training with the development of other skills or work experience 
and  with  accompanying  measures  like  childcare  has  proven  to  be  particularly  effective  in 
improving access to and the outcome of language training. Finally, gaining an understanding 
of  the  laws,  culture  and  values  of  the  receiving  society  as  early  as  possible,  for  example 
through civic orientation courses, is crucial for migrants to fully participate in the receiving 
society. 

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  More migrant children and children with a migrant background participate in high quality 

and inclusive early childhood education and care. 

  Teachers  are  better  equipped  with  the  necessary  skills,  and  are  given  the  resources  and 
support  to  manage  multicultural  and  multilingual  classrooms  for  the  benefit  of  both 
migrant and native children. 

34 The Radicalisation Awareness Network has issued a number of supporting documents to better equip teachers 
to detect early signs of radicalisation and to address underlying factors: 
https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/networks/radicalisation_awareness_network/topics-and-working-
groups/ran-y-and-e_en.  
35 The Youth Guarantee is a commitment by all Member States to ensure that all young people under the age of 
25  receive  a  good  quality  offer  of  employment,  continued  education,  apprenticeship,  or  traineeship.  The 
reinforced  Youth  Guarantee  strengthens  the  focus  on  the  particular  needs  of  vulnerable  groups,  for  example 
young 
See: 
https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1079&langId=en.  

background. 

migrants 

migrant 

people 

young 

with 

or 

a 

9 

 
 
                                                            
  Multi-stakeholder  learning  communities  are  created  with  the  involvement  of  schools, 

health and social services and parents. 

  Qualifications acquired in non-EU countries are recognised faster and more easily. 

  More  migrants  participate  in  comprehensive  language  training  and  civic  orientation 
programmes  which  start  upon  arrival  and  accompany  them  along  their  integration 
journeys. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives?  

 

Improve participation and achievement in education through: 

⁃  a  new  toolkit  with  practical  guidance  on  inclusion  in  ECEC  to  be  published  at  the 

beginning of 2021; 

⁃  targeted  support  for  teachers  to  develop  competences  for  dealing  with  cultural, 
religious  and  linguistic  diversity  in  classrooms  under  the  Erasmus  Teacher 
Academies;  

⁃  peer learning and peer counselling activities to support Member States in designing 
and  implementing  effective  inclusive  education  policies  in  the  European  Education 
Area; 

⁃  providing  targeted  training  for  youth  workers  to  acquire  the  skills  specifically 

required for supporting integration of young migrants. 

 

Improve the recognition of qualifications through: 

⁃  fostering  cooperation  between  national  authorities  in  charge  of  integration  and 

national centres for the recognition of qualifications (ENIC-NARIC networks); 

⁃  Supporting transparent recognition practices of qualifications of refugees through the 

Erasmus Programme; 

⁃  promoting exchanges between Member States on providing complementary/bridging 

courses for migrants; 

⁃  providing  information  on  recognition  practices  and  on  skills  and  qualifications  for 

migrants using the full potential of the Europass portal; 

⁃  promoting  the  transparency  of  qualifications  systems,  including  through  the 

European Qualifications Framework. 

  Work with Members States to further develop comprehensive and accessible language 
learning programmes, including intermediate and advanced courses, through funding 
and exchanges of experiences. 

 

Promote  exchanges  between  Member  States  on  successful  approaches  to  civic 
orientation courses. 

In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

 

 

 

 

Increase  the  number  of  migrant  children  and  children  with  a  migrant  background 
participating in ECEC while ensuring that general ECEC programmes are equipped to 
support culturally and linguistically diverse children. 

Ensure that procedures for recognising foreign qualifications are quick, fair, transparent 
and affordable. 

Include managing multicultural and multilingual classrooms and valuing and mobilising 
learners’  individual  linguistic  backgrounds  as  key  skills  in  teaching  curricula  and 
provide teachers with the necessary resources to address these issues.  

Develop  support  programmes  that  are  specific  to  unaccompanied  minors  who  arrive 
past  the  age  of  compulsory  schooling  and  programmes  for  unaccompanied  minors  on 

10 

 
 
the transition to adulthood. 

 

 

Ensure the accessibility and affordability of after-school leisure activities and sports.  

Ensure  support  for  language  learning  after  an  initial  integration  period  to  promote  it 
beyond initial or intermediary proficiency levels. 

  Make full use of EU funding, in particular the European Social Fund Plus, the Asylum 
and  Migration  Fund  and  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  to  support 
programmes  and  measures  related  to  education,  skills  and  language  training,  in 
accordance with identified needs at national and regional level.  

II. 

Employment and skills 

Migrants make up a significant part of the EU’s workforce. The COVID-19 crisis has made 
their  contribution  to  European  economies  and  labour  markets  all  the  more  evident36.  Many 
migrants  arrive  with  skills  that  are  highly  needed  in  our  labour  markets  but  they  often  face 
difficulties  in  having  them  valued  and  finding  jobs  that  reflect  their  skills  level.  Migrant 
women are at particularly high risk of being over-qualified for their job, which may lead to 
depreciation  of  their  skills.  They  tend  to  face  greater  obstacles  and  more  limited  access  to 
support37. Also, the challenges migrants with disabilities face should be addressed so that they 
can participate in the labour market. 
The  European  Skills  Agenda38  aims  to  support  everyone,  including  migrants,  in  developing 
more and better skills and putting them to use. Furthermore, innovative tools to quickly assess 
the  skills  of  migrants  have  recently  been  developed  in  several  Member  States.  Skills 
assessments already conducted in the pre-departure phase, can help migrants to integrate more 
quickly into the labour market, in particular within resettlement and complementary pathways 
programmes.  

Migrant  entrepreneurs contribute to  economic growth,  create jobs  and can  support  the post-
COVID-19  recovery.  However,  they  face  several  challenges,  such  as  a  lack  of  networks, 
difficulties  in  accessing  credit  and  insufficient  knowledge  of  the  regulatory  and  financial 
framework.  Access  to  financial  information  and  increased  financial  literacy  can  play  an 
important  role  in  overcoming  these  challenges.  The  availability  of  and  access  to  financial 
services  is  essential  for  all  migrants  to  fully  participate  in  a  country’s  economy  or  build  a 
stable life for themselves and their families, including as regards sending remittances. Digital 
finance can help in making financial services more accessible. 

Effective  inclusion  of  migrants  and  EU  citizens  with  a  migrant  background  into  the  labour 
market  requires  the  active  collaboration  of  a  large  variety  of  actors,  including  public 
authorities  at  local,  regional,  national  and  European  level,  civil  society  organisations, 
economic and social partners and employers.  

36  See:  JRC  (2020)  Immigrant  Key  Workers:  Their  Contribution  to  Europe’s  COVID-19  Response 
https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/sites/know4pol/files/key_workers_covid_0423.pdf.  
37 See: JRC (2020), Gaps in the EU Labour Market Participation Rates: an intersectional assessment of the role 
of gender and migrant status, https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC121425. 
38 
See:https://ec.europa.eu/social/main.jsp?catId=1223#:~:text=The%20European%20Skills%20Agenda%20is%20
a%20five-year%20plan,on%20the%20lessons%20learnt%20during%20the%20COVID-19%20pandemic.  

11 

 
 
                                                            
Good  quality  Vocational  Education  and  Training  (VET)  with  a  strong  work-based  learning 
dimension  can  be  a  particularly  powerful  tool  to  help  migrants  enter  the  labour  market. 
However, obstacles to their participation in VET still remains.  

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  Cooperation  at  EU,  national  and  local  level  between  key  labour  market  actors  and  the 

migrants themselves is stronger. 

  Migrant  entrepreneurs,  including  social  entrepreneurs,  receive  more  support  through 

easier access to financing, training and advice. 

  More migrant women participate in the labour market. 

  Assessment of migrants’ skills is more effective and faster. Upskilling and reskilling are 
continuously  supported,  including  through  validation  procedures  for  non-formal  and 
informal learning. 

  More migrants participate in high-quality VET. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives?  

  Work  with  social  and  economic  partners  to  promote  a  multi-stakeholder  approach  to 

labour market integration through the European Partnership for Integration39.  

  Support  employers  through  exchanges  and  peer-to-peer  learning,  building  on  the 

Employers together for integration initiative40. 

  Provide  support  for  inclusive  entrepreneurship  under  InvestEU  for  both  women  and 

men, including migrant entrepreneurs and foster inclusive mentoring schemes.  

  Facilitate assessment and validation of skills through: 

⁃   Sharing  and  scaling  up  practices  on  skills  assessment  through  the  European 
Integration Network, the European Network of Public Employment Service and the 
updated Europass platform. 

⁃   Further  developing  the  EU  Skills  Profile  Tool  for  Third  Country  Nationals  and 
promoting its use among public authorities and other organisations, including before 
arrival, particularly in the case of resettlement and complementary pathways. 

  Support people with a migrant background under the upcoming Citizens, Equality, Rights 

and Values programme41. 

In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

  Make use of the EU Skills Profile Tool for Third Country Nationals at an early stage, in 
particular  for  asylum  seekers,  refugees  and  migrants,  and  strengthen  procedures  for 
validation of non-formal learning. 

  Raise  awareness  of  discrimination  in  the  recruitment  process  and  in  the  workplace  and 

39https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/legal-migration/european-dialogue-skills-and-
migration/european-partnership-integration_en.  
40 The initiative was launched by the Commission in 2017 to highlight what employers are doing to support the 
integration  of  refugees  and  other  migrants  into  the  labour  market:  https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-
do/policies/legal-migration/european-dialogue-skills-and-migration/integration-pact_en. 
41 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing the Rights and Values 
programme, COM/2018/383 final/2 - 2018/0207 (COD). 

12 

 
 
 
                                                            
reinforce anti-discrimination measures. 

  Encourage  entrepreneurship  among  migrants  through  tailored  training  and  mentoring 
programmes,  by  opening  up  mainstream  entrepreneurship  support  structures  to  migrants 
and including entrepreneurship in integration programmes. 

  Make  full  use  of  EU  funding,  in  particular  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus  and  the 
European  Regional  Development  Fund,  to  support  programmes  and  measures  related  to 
integration  into  the  labour  market,  in  accordance  with  identified  needs  at  national  and 
regional level.  

III.  Health  

Insufficient access to healthcare services can be a major obstacle to integration and inclusion, 
affecting  virtually  all  areas  of  life,  including  employment  and  education.  Migrants  are 
confronted  with  specific  persistent  barriers  to  accessing  healthcare  services,  including 
administrative  hurdles,  fears  linked  to  uncertainties  about  the  duration  of  their  stay, 
discrimination,  a  lack  of  information  and  of  familiarity  with  the  healthcare  system,  and 
linguistic and intercultural obstacles. Migrant women face additional challenges as they tend 
to have lower proficiency in the host country language, weaker social networks, and greater 
responsibilities for childcare and family.  

The COVID-19 pandemic shed light on deep-seated inequalities in access to health services. 
It has also shown that these inequalities can pose risks for society at large. Migrants are more 
likely  to  work  in  jobs  that  require  close  contact  with  others,  which  expose  them  and  their 
families to a higher risk of contracting COVID-1942, as well as other infectious diseases.  

Mental health is critical to migrants’ integration. While migrants, especially refugees, may be 
at  higher  risk  of  developing  mental  health  problems  due  to  trauma  experienced  in  their 
country  of  origin,  difficulties  encountered  during  their  migration  journey  or  post-arrival 
experiences, such as social isolation or discrimination, they often face obstacles in accessing 
mental health services. 

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  Migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background are informed about their rights and 
have equal access to regular health care services, including mental health services under 
the conditions established by national law and practices.  

  Specific challenges faced by migrant women, including prenatal and post-natal healthcare 

for mothers, are fully considered when facilitating access to health care services. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives?  

  Promote access to health care services for migrants through: 

⁃   Funding dedicated projects under the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund43 and 
inclusion actions addressed to people with a migrant background under the upcoming 
Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme; 

⁃   Working  with  Member  States  to  foster  equal  access  to  quality  and  affordable 
healthcare services through EU funds such as the European Social Fund Plus and the 

42  See:  OECD,  What  is  the  impact  of  the  COVID-19  pandemic  on  immigrants  and  their  children?, 
http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/what-is-the-impact-of-the-covid-19-pandemic-on-
immigrants-and-their-children-e7cbb7de/.  
43 To be financed under direct management still under the 2014-2020 financing period. 

13 

 
 
                                                            
European Regional Development Fund. 

  Support and promote exchanges between Member States on: 

⁃   Prevention  and  health  promotion  programmes  specifically  targeting  migrants,  with 

suitable outreach tools; 

⁃   Access to mental health and rehabilitation services44. 

In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

  Provide  training  to  health  care  workers  on  diversity  management  and  the  needs  of 
specific migrant groups (migrants with trauma, victims of trafficking in human beings or 
gender  based  violence,  unaccompanied  minors,  older  people,  persons  with  disabilities 
etc.), making use of the different projects and training materials developed under the EU 
health programmes.  

  Facilitate  migrants’  access  to  general  health  services,  including  mental  health,  by 

providing services adapted to their needs and tackling discrimination.  

  Make  full  use  of  EU  funds,  such  as  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus,  the  Asylum  and 
Migration  Fund  and  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  to  support  programmes 
and measures related to access to healthcare services, in accordance with identified needs 
at national and regional level. 

IV.  Housing  

Access  to  adequate  and  affordable  housing  is  a  key  determinant  of  successful  integration. 
Housing conditions have a strong impact on employment and education opportunities and on 
the  interactions  between  migrants  and  host  communities45.  Poor  housing  conditions  and 
segregation  can  exacerbate  divisions,  which  undermine  social  cohesion.  Increasing  housing 
prices, shortages of affordable and social housing, and discrimination on the housing market 
make it difficult for migrants to find adequate and long-term housing solutions.  

While responsibility for housing policies is a national competence, the Commission can play 
an  important  role  in  supporting  Member  States  as  well  as  local  and  regional  authorities  to 
address the challenges and promoting inclusive housing solutions. 

In  recent  years,  many  innovative  housing  solutions  have  been  developed  in  several  EU 
countries,  including  through  EU  funding46.  Partnership-based  approaches,  co-housing  and 
accompanying  housing  with  employment  and  social  services  have  proven  to  be  particularly 
promising  models  that  foster  inclusion  and  community  building.  As  announced  under  the 
Renovation Wave47,  the Commission  will setup an  Affordable  Housing Initiative to  support 
further implementation and replication of such successful initiatives. 

Autonomous  housing  for  asylum  applicants  with  a  high  likelihood  to  be  granted  protection 
can  speed  up  the  integration  process,  especially  when  linked  with  early  provision  of 
integration support. 

44 As per article 26 of the UN Convention on the Rights of persons with Disabilities. 
45 See for example the EU anti-racism action plan which underlines that discrimination on the housing market 
reinforces segregation, with a knock-on effect in terms of education or employment opportunities and, in the 
case of families with children, significant detrimental impact on children’s development.  
46 See for example the projects financed under the Urban Innovative Actions, https://www.uia-initiative.eu/en.  
47 A Renovation Wave for Europe - Greening our buildings, creating jobs, improving lives, COM(2020)662 
final. 

14 

 
 
                                                            
What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  Migrants  and  EU  citizens  with  a  migrant  background  have  access  to  adequate  and 

affordable housing, including social housing.  

  Member States and local and regional authorities have access to a wide range of tools and 

good practices to fight discrimination on the housing market.  

 

Innovative  housing  solutions  that  foster  inclusion  and  fight  segregation  are  widely  used 
across the EU. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives? 

  Work with Member States to promote non-segregated adequate and affordable housing, 
including social housing, and to provide accompanying integration services through EU 
funds, in particular under European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund 
Plus, Asylum and Migration Fund and InvestEU.  

  Promote mutual learning between Member States, cities, villages and regions on fighting 
discrimination  on  the  housing  market  and  reducing  residential  segregation  through 
the  European  Integration  Network,  the  Urban  academy  for  integration  and  dedicated 
funding under the Asylum and Migration Fund. 

  Promote  models  of  autonomous  housing  (rather  than  collective  housing)  for  asylum 
applicants, especially families, and disseminate and scale up successful innovative models 
of inclusive and affordable housing for beneficiaries of international protection. 

In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

  Ensure an integrated approach and coordinate housing policies with policies on access to 

employment, education, healthcare and social services.  

  Provide adapted and autonomous housing solutions as early as possible for refugees and 
asylum seekers who are likely to be granted international protection, and enable a smooth 
transition  for  asylum  seekers  to  independent  living  once  they  have  been  granted 
international protection. 

  Make  full  use  of  EU  funds,  such  as  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund,  the 
Asylum and Migration Fund and InvestEU, to promote adequate and affordable housing, 
including social housing in accordance with identified needs at national and regional level, 
as well as the European Social Fund Plus to support access to housing.  

5.  Actions supporting effective integration and inclusion in all sectoral areas 

I. 

Building strong partnerships for a more effective integration process 

Integration  is  a  societal  process  where  the  responsibility  rests  not  with  one  particular  group 
but  rather  with  many:  migrants,  host  communities,  public  authorities  and  institutions,  social 
and economic partners, civil society organisations, churches, religious and other philosophical 
communities  and  the  private  sector.  Empowering  both  migrants  and  host  communities  to 
actively  engage  in  the  integration  process  is  essential  to  achieve  sustainable  and  successful 
integration. The Commission will seek to empower and enable all actors to contribute to this 
process, by building strong and long-term multi-stakeholder partnerships at various levels of 
governance. In doing this, the Commission, will build on successful examples of cooperation 
such as the Partnership on the inclusion of migrants and refugees under the Urban Agenda for 

15 

 
 
 
the EU48, the European Partnership for integration with social and economic partners49 and a 
partnership with rural regions under the upcoming long term vision for rural areas.  

It  is  also  important  to  ensure  that  all  levels  of  governance  –  European,  national,  macro-
regional, crossborder, regional and local – are fully involved in designing and implementing 
integration strategies, so as to maximise the effectiveness of the actions.  

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  All  relevant  stakeholders  are  empowered  and  enabled  to  contribute  to  the  integration 

process. 

  Multi-stakeholder partnerships are built at EU, national, regional and local level.  

  A  structural  and  open  dialogue  exists  between  the  Commission  and  key  integration 

stakeholders. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives? 

  Support Member States through:  

⁃   Strengthening  the  European  Integration  Network  and  using  it  to  support  Member 
States  to  develop,  update  and  implement  national  strategies  and  action  plans  for 
integration; 

⁃   Providing  targeted  funding  and  capacity  building  to  Member  States  to  promote 
coordination between key integration stakeholders at national, regional or local levels; 
⁃   Transferring  and  upscaling  innovative  solutions  in  employment,  skills  and  social 
inclusion,  across  Europe  through  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus  transnational 
cooperation and partnership. 

  Support local and regional authorities through: 

⁃   Launching  a  partnership  with  the  Committee  of  the  Regions  to  start  a  political 
dialogue  and  promote  learning  and  exchanges  on  integration  for  local  and  regional 
authorities; 

⁃   Expanding  the  Urban  academy  on  integration50  into  a  comprehensive  capacity-
building  programme for policymakers and practitioners from the local, regional and 
national levels in the field of integration;  

⁃   Strengthening  inter-religious  dialogue  among  communities,  supporting  cities  in 
preventing radicalisation by providing funding, guidance and training to practitioners 
and  local  actors,  including  under  the  Radicalisation  Awareness  Network  and  under 
the EU Cities against Radicalisation51 initiative and its future developments; 

⁃   Exploring  rural  partnerships  to  ensure  inclusion  and  integration  of  migrants  in  rural 

areas. 

  Empower host communities through: 

-  Building capacity of local and regional authorities to involve local communities in the 

design and implementation of integration measures and programmes;  

48 See: https://www.inclusionpartnership.com and https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/inclusion-of-migrants-and-
refugees.  
49 See: https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/legal-migration/european-dialogue-skills-and-
migration/european-partnership-integration_en.  
50See: https://www.inclusionpartnership.com/urban-academy.  
51  The  European  Commission  has  launched  this  initiative  in  2019.  It  addresses  primarily  mayors  and  their 
advisors  and  complements  the  efforts  of  the  Radicalisation  Awareness  Network  in  particular  with  policy 
exchanges among cities on prevention of radicalisation. 

16 

 
 
                                                            
 
-  Financing projects to promote volunteering actions co-designed by migrants and host 

communities; 

-  Promoting mentoring and buddy programmes between local communities and newly 

arrived migrants. 

  Support civil society through: 

-  Engaging  in  regular  consultation  and  dialogue  with  civil  society  and  diaspora 

organisations, including through the annual European Migration Forum. 

  Support social and economic partners and employers through: 

- 

Implementing  the  European  Partnership  for  Integration  with  social  and  economic 
partners and providing support to employers (see actions under Employment). 

  Support foundations and other social economy organisations through: 

- 

 Establishing a structural dialogue on migrant integration and exploring possible tools 
for  cooperating  with  foundations  and  network  organisations  that  work  with 
foundations. 

II.  Increased  opportunities  for  EU  funding  under  the  2021-2027  Multi-annual 

Financial Framework 

Supporting  Member  States’  action  in  integration  and  inclusion  through  EU  funding  will 
remain a priority for the Commission. This will be carried out directly by the Commission or 
through  Members  States’  programmes  under  shared  management.  As  integration  is  a  long-
term process and given its cross-cutting nature, it is supported through different EU funds in 
their respective areas.  

17 

 
 
 
 
Main EU funds contributing to integration and inclusion under the 2014-2020 period  

For  the  2021-2027  Multiannual  Financial  Framework,  the  Commission  has  proposed  to 
focus  the  future  Asylum  and  Migration  Fund  (AMF)  on  supporting  tailor-made  measures 
implemented in the early phases of integration and horizontal measures. Meanwhile the labour 
market  integration  and  social  inclusion  of  migrants  could  be  financed  under  the  European 
Social  Fund  Plus  (ESF+).  The  European  Regional  Development  Fund  (ERDF)  supports 
inclusion through infrastructure, equipment and access to services in education, employment, 
housing, social, health and child care. Moreover, in the areas relevant for integration, ESF+, 
AMF and ERDF investments should be complementary and work in synergy with other EU 
funds  and  programmes,  including  in  particular  Erasmus+,  the  Recovery  and  Resilience 
Facility,  the  European  agricultural  fund  for  rural  development  (EAFRD)  and  InvestEU,  in 
order to support social inclusion in an integrated manner. In addition, the Technical Support 
Instrument52  will  be  able,  on  request,  to  provide  technical  support  to  Member  States  to 
develop  or  improve  integration  and  inclusion  policies.  Specific  actions  addressing  the 
inclusion of EU citizens with a migrant background may also be funded under the upcoming 
Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme. 

Local  and  regional  authorities  play  a  crucial  role  in  the  integration  process  but  often  lack 
resources to put in place integration measures or have difficulties in accessing EU funding. In 
the  context  of  the  new  Multiannual  Financial  Framework  2021-2027,  the  Commission 
proposed that their access to EU funding should be facilitated through better information and 

52 Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council of 28 May 2020 on the establishment 
of the Technical Support Instrument, COM(2020) 409 final, subject to its adoption by the European Parliament 
and the Council. 

18 

 
 
 
                                                            
an  increased  involvement  in  the  preparation,  implementation  and  revision  of  the  relevant 
national programmes managed under shared management. 

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  Funding for integration is prioritised by Member States under the EU funds contributing 

to integration, according to identified needs at national and regional level. 

  Access  to  EU  funding  for  integration  and inclusion  is  facilitated  for  Member  States  and 

key integration stakeholders, including local and regional authorities 

  Potential beneficiaries being made more aware of the funding possibilities for integration 

at the EU level. 

  Authorities managing EU funds that are relevant for integration coordinate their actions at 

macro-regional, national, regional and local levels. 

  Partnerships with all relevant stakeholders, in particular local and regional authorities are 

reinforced in programming and implementation of EU funds. 

 

Innovative instruments for financing integration activities are more commonly used. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives? 

  Organise  regular  exchanges  with  managing  authorities  of  the  Asylum  and  Migration 
Fund53,  the  European  Social  Fund  Plus,  the  European  Regional  Development  Fund  and 
other  EU  Funds,  such  as  Erasmus  +  and  the  European  agricultural  fund  for  rural 
development. 

  Propose  a  European  Child  Guarantee  to  fight  poverty  and  social  exclusion  among  the 

EU’s most disadvantaged children, including children with a migrant background. 

  Develop a series of  webinars targeting public authorities and civil society organisations 
and a toolkit on the use EU funds for integration in the 2021-2027 programming period54. 

  Stimulate investment in the fields of education and training, social infrastructure (schools, 
universities,  hospitals,  long  term  care,  affordable  and  accessible  housing),  microfinance, 
social  enterprises  and  social  innovation,  which  benefit  migrants,  under  the  ‘Social 
Investment and Skills Window’ of the InvestEU. 

  Develop public-private partnerships (e.g. with foundations and private donors). 

In using EU funding for integration, Member States are encouraged to: 

  Make  full  use  of  EU  funds  to  promote  integration,  according  to  identified  needs  at 
national  and  regional  level.  This  can  include  investments  in  education,  employment, 
housing,  health  and  social  care  services,  together  with  capacity  building  actions  and 
measures tackling segregation and discrimination. 

  Ensure a coordinated approach at national, macro-regional, regional and local level in the 
programming and implementation of EU funds contributing to integration and inclusion. 

53  The  Asylum  and  Migration  Fund  promotes  the  efficient  management  of  migration  flows  and  the 
implementation,  strengthening  and  development  of  a  common  Union  approach  to  asylum  and  immigration.  It 
does not cover the financing of inclusion actions of EU citizens with a migrant background. 
54  This  will  be  an  update  of  the  2018  “Toolkit  on  the  use  of  Funds  for  integration  of  people  with  a  migrant 
background”: 
https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/en/information/publications/guides/2018/toolkit-on-the-use-of-eu-funds-for-
the-integration-of-people-with-a-migrant-background. 

19 

 
 
                                                            
 

Increase  private  stakeholders’  participation  in  integration  measures  by  means  of 
innovative instruments, partnerships and incentives. 

  Facilitate access to EU funding for local and regional authorities through specific calls for 

proposals for local and regional authorities. 

  Take  appropriate  measures  to  make  potential  beneficiaries  aware  of  EU  funding 

opportunities for integration and inclusion. 

 

Involve local and regional authorities, civil society organisations, including organisations 
representing  migrants  and  diaspora,  and  social  and  economic  partners  in  preparing, 
revising, implementing and monitoring programmes for the 2021-2027 EU funds (AMF, 
ESF+ and ERDF). 

  Take into account the situation of migrants and their children (e.g. in health, employment 

and education) in their national Recovery and Resilience Plans. 

  Make  use  of  the  Technical  Support  Instrument  to  support  the  design,  development  and 
rolling-out of tailor-made reforms related to integration and inclusion policies across the 
different areas.  

III. 

Fostering participation and encounters with the host society  

Developing welcoming, diverse and inclusive societies is a process that needs the engagement 
of both migrants and the receiving society. Including migrants and EU citizens with a migrant 
background  as  well  as  promoting  their  active  participation  in  consultative  and  decision-
making processes can help empower them and ensure that integration and inclusion policies 
are more effective and reflect real needs. This is why the Commission has launched an Expert 
Group  on  the  views  of  migrants  composed  of  migrants  and  organisations  representing  their 
interests,  and  will  consult  it  in  the  design  and  implementation  of  future  EU  policies  in  the 
field of migration, asylum and integration55.  

Whether  it  is  at  school,  the  office,  a  sports  club,  or  in  the  neighbourhood,  providing  places 
and opportunities for migrants and local communities to meet and interact is a strong means 
for inclusion and more cohesive societies. Moreover, the promotion of intercultural dialogue, 
including  interreligious  dialogue  between  faith  communities,  is  essential.  Supporting 
migrants’  participation  and  interactions  with  the  host  society  also  requires  providing 
opportunities  for  the  local  communities  to  learn  more  about  people  arriving  in  their 
communities and their backgrounds. Community sponsorship schemes not only help Member 
States increase the number of places for people in  need  of protection (through  resettlement, 
humanitarian admission and other complementary pathways) but also to successfully integrate 
them into welcoming host communities, that are aware of and prepared for their arrival56. 

Grassroots participation in education, culture and sport brings people closer together. It helps 
combat  xenophobia,  exclusion,  radicalisation  and  ‘us  vs.  them’  narratives  while  building 
mutual  respect  and  fostering  migrants’  sense  of  belonging.  Youth  programmes  such  as  the 
European  Solidarity  Corps  allow  young  volunteers  to  work  on  projects  addressing  identity, 
culture and cultural diversity, tackling prejudices and conflicts, fostering mutual respect and 
understanding.  

55 The first meeting of the group, focusing on integration and inclusion, took place on 12 November 2020. 
56  Commission  Recommendation  on  legal  pathways  to  protection  in  the  EU  (C(2020)  6467  final). 
https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/info/files/commission_recommendation_on_legal_pathways_to_protection_in_the
_eu_promoting_resettlement_humanitarian_admission_and_other_complementary_pathways.pdf.  

20 

 
 
                                                            
Promoting  exchanges  between  Member  States  and  factoring  in  migrants  in  the  design  and 
implementation of relevant EU programmes can contribute to a more active participation of 
migrants  in  our  societies  and  to  fostering  a  better  understanding  in  areas  such  as  gender 
equality, LGBTIQ equality and combating racism, xenophobia and antisemitism.  

Being  well  informed  about  migration  and  integration  can  also  help  fight  prejudices  and 
polarisation.  However,  a  majority  of  Europeans  (61%)  feel  not  well  or  not  at  all  informed 
about migration and integration57. Working with media representatives, education institutions 
as  well  as  civil  society  organisations  is  key  to  better  inform  citizen  in  the  EU  about  the 
realities of migration and integration. 

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  More migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background participate in consultative and 

decision-making processes at local, regional, national and European levels. 

 

Increased opportunities are provided for encounters and exchanges between migrants, EU 
citizens with a migrant background and local communities, including through art, culture, 
sport and social life in general. 

  Migrant women have equal opportunities for participation in society.  

  More Europeans are well informed on integration and migration. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives? 

  Finance projects to increase the capacity of national, regional and local authorities to 

involve migrants and migrant organisations in decision-making processes. 

  Closely involve the newly created Expert Group on the views of migrants in designing 

and implementating EU policies in the field of migration, asylum and integration. 

  Support  the  development  of  community  sponsorship  programmes  for  beneficiaries  of 
international  protection  across  the  EU  through  funding,  facilitation  of  exchange  of  best 
practices  and  strengthened  cooperation  between  all  relevant  public  and  private 
stakeholders. 

  Launch  an  integration  award  for  schools,  local  communities,  artistic  and  cultural 
organisations,  and  sports  and  youth  clubs  to  recognise  their  contribution  to  integration 
and inclusion. 

  Organise, in cooperation with the UEFA Foundation,  football festivals targeting young 

migrants in host cities of the next European football championship. 

  Further  improve  an  enabling  environment  for  social  economy  and  social  innovation  to 
foster inclusion and participation through the future Action Plan for Social Economy. 

  Finance projects to raise awareness on facts and figures and main trends of integration 

and migration for journalists and journalism schools. 

57 See results of the 2018 Eurobarometer on integration,  https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/news/results-special-
eurobarometer-integration-immigrants-european-union_en. 

21 

 
 
                                                            
In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

  Align national integration strategies with national action plans against racism and racial 

discrimination58. 

 

Involve migrants and migrant organisations in the design, implementation and evaluation 
of integration and inclusion policies and programmes, including when EU-funded. 

  Promote  exchanges  with  the  host  societies  through  volunteering,  sport,  non-formal 

education, youth and cultural activities. 

IV.  Enhance  the  use  of  new  technologies  and  digital  tools  for  integration  and 

inclusion 

Technological  innovation  opens  up  new  opportunities  to  modernise  and  facilitate  access  to 
integration and other services. Digitalisation of governments at all levels can facilitate access 
to  digital  public  services.  However,  if  not  used  in  an  inclusive  way  and  not  accessible, 
digitalisation  of  services  can  widen  inequalities  instead  of  narrowing  them.  The  COVID-19 
crisis  has  shown  the  potential  of  digitalising  services  such  as  education,  language  and 
integration  courses.  Many  Member  States  had  to  adapt  their  integration  services  following 
social distancing measures and transferred integration and language courses online. However, 
this shift also made clear that migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background often face 
obstacles  in  accessing  digital  courses  and  services  because  of  lack  of  infrastructure59, 
language  barriers,  lack  of  electronic  identification  means  and  digital  trust  services  (such  as 
electronic signature) or lack of the digital skills to use these services60. Online services can be 
particularly  effective  in  the  pre-departure  phase  to  help  migrants  learn  the  language  and 
acquire  skills  that  can  speed  up  their  integration  after  arrival,  and  to  connect  them  with  the 
communities that will welcome them.  

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  Newly developed digital integration services are assessed for accessibility, inclusiveness 
and quality and the most successful examples are integrated in integration programmes.  

  Migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background have the digital skills to fully benefit 

from online services. 

  Digital  public  services  are  designed  in  co-creation  with  citizens,  including  migrants  to 

make them human-centric, easily accessible and adapted to a diverse population.  

What will the Commission do to support these objectives? 

  Support  Member  States  in  assessing  digital  integration  services,  including  in  the  pre-
departure phase, and identifying and exchanging good practices through mutual learning 
activities within the European Integration Network. 

  Promote  and  finance  projects  on  improving  digital  skills  among  migrants  and  EU 

citizens with a migrant background. 

58  The  EU  anti-racism  action  plan  encourages  all  Member  States  to  develop  and  adopt  national  action  plans 
against racism and racial discrimination. 
59 E.g. 40% of rural areas still do not have access to high speed broadband. 
60  8.1%  of  people  born  outside  the  EU  report  they  cannot  afford  a  computer,  compared  to  3.1%  among  those 
born in the reporting country, Eurostat, EU-SILC (2018 data). Parents from migrant households may have more 
difficulties in supporting their children in remote learning when they do not master the school language. 

22 

 
 
                                                            
  As part of the Digital Education action plan, the Commission will make the most of EU 
support  regarding  internet  access,  purchase  of  digital  equipment  and  e-learning 
applications and platforms for schools and in particular for students from disadvantaged 
groups and for students and educators with disabilities. 

  Work  on  an  inclusive  EU  e-government  action  plan,  that  promotes  human-centric 
digital public services for citizens, including migrants, and engagement of migrants in 
the creation and delivery of digital public services61. 

In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

  Develop  digital  literacy  courses  for  migrants  and  include  them  in  integration 

programmes, including using available EU funds. 

  Ensure digital public services are inclusive by design, easily accessible and adapted to a 
diverse  population  and  that  migrants  are  consulted  in  their  creation  and  further 
development.  

V.  Monitoring progress: towards an evidence-based integration and inclusion policy 

Efficient  integration  policies  should  be  built  upon  reliable  evidence  about  both  integration 
outcomes  and  the  impact  of  integration  policies.  Since  the  adoption  of  EU  indicators  on 
migrants’  integration  in  2010,  statistics  have  been  made  available  on  the  Eurostat  portal 
concerning  integration  indicators62.  The  Commission  has  cooperated  with  the  OECD  to 
publish  a  unique  international  comparison  of  integration  outcomes  of  migrants  and  their 
children63  and  worked  to  improve  the  availability  of  data  on  integration  at  the  local  and 
regional level64. Moreover, areas of integration linked to the ‘two-way process’ approach have 
been investigated such as discrimination65, participation66 and host-country attitudes.  

To monitor the effectiveness of policies in the long-term, accurate and comparable data on the 
scale  and  nature  of  discrimination  suffered  by  migrants  is  important.  The  EU  Agency  for 
Fundamental  Rights  will  play  a  key  role  in  this  through  a  forthcoming  EU  survey  on 
immigrants and their descendants (2022). This also requires disaggregating data by ethnic or 
racial  origin  as  proposed  in  the  recent  EU  anti-racism  action  plan.  Beyond  data,  innovative 
research  has  been  supported  through  Horizon  2020’s  programmes  on  ‘Innovative,  inclusive 
and  reflective  societies’,  as  well  as  through  the  establishment  of  the  Knowledge  Centre  on 
Migration  and  Demography  within  the  Joint  Research  Centre,  which  helps  policymakers 
better understand integration in many areas. The Commission has also invested in a number of 

the 

digital 

Council 

Europe’s 

‘Shaping 

Responding 

Conclusions 

61 
https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2020/06/09/shaping-europe-s-digital-future-council-
adopts-conclusions/.  
62 See: https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/web/migrant-integration/data/database.  
63 OECD/EU (2018), Settling In 2018: Indicators of Immigrant Integration.  
64 See the work done within the Partnership on the Inclusion of migrants and refugees under the Urban Agenda 
https://ec.europa.eu/futurium/en/system/files/ged/evidence-
for 
based20integration20policies20in20cities_options20report.pdf;  the  regional  series  under  Eurostat  portal  on 
integration; 
Joint  Research  Centre’: 
https://ec.europa.eu/knowledge4policy/migration-demography/data-integration-d4i_en.  
65  FRA  (2017),  EU-MIDIS  II  Main  results ;  FRA  (2017),  EU-MIDIS  II  Muslims  –  Selected  findigs ;  FRA 
(2018), EU-MIDIS II Being Black in the EU ; FRA (2019) EU-MIDIS II Migrant women – Selected findings. 
66 FRA (2017), FRA (2017), Together in the EU – Promoting the participation of migrants and their descendants. 

integration’ 

future’, 

project 

‘Data 

EU: 

and 

the 

the 

the 

for 

by 

23 

 
 
                                                            
pilot  projects67  to  test  new  practices,  as  well  as  in  mapping  the  integration  policies  of  EU 
Member  States  in  certain  areas  such  as  labour  market  integration,  and  the  education  or 
integration of refugees.  

Despite  these  extensive  efforts  a  number  of  knowledge  gaps  remain  that  prevent  effective 
evidence-based  integration  policies  from  being  developed.  While  most  Member  States 
regularly monitor integration, they rarely rely on EU agreed indicators68 and the potential for 
international  comparison  is  under-used.  Moreover,  most  regions  and  cities  continue  to  face 
limitations in the data available. Also there is a need to further compare integration policies 
across EU Member States in order to facilitate mutual learning and tackle the lack of evidence 
on the impact of measures69.  

What do we want to achieve in this area? 

  Integration  policies  and  their  impact  on  outcomes  are  better  understood  across  time  and 

territories. 

  National authorities and other stakeholders are supported to monitor integration outcomes. 

  An evidence-based debate in the field of integration is more widely present. 

  The  availability  of  data  and  knowledge  on  integration  at  EU,  national  and  sub-national 

level is improved. 

What will the Commission do to support these objectives? 

  Launch a new Eurobarometer on integration. 

  Publish regular reports analysing progress and highlighting areas of common challenges, 
based on common statistical indicators, as well as recent inspiring policy developments in 
the Member States. 

  Explore  with  Member  States  options  to  develop  a  joint  ‘scoreboard’  of  integration 
policies  in  order  to  support  comparison  across  countries,  identification  of  areas  where 
progress is needed and exchange of good practices. 

  Assess regularly research outputs and results on integration dynamics and propose policy 

options for policy making. 

In this area, Member States are encouraged to:  

  Develop or update systems for monitoring integration to identify key challenges and track 

 

progress over time.  
Improve the availability of data on integration outcomes including at regional and local 
levels. 

6.  Conclusions 

Ensuring that migrants and EU citizens with a migrant background can fully participate and 
contribute  is  key to  the  future  well-being,  prosperity  and  cohesion  of  European  societies.  A 
successful  integration  can  contribute  to  address  many  of  the  challenges  faced  by  society 

67  Under  Urban  Innovative  Actions,  EaSi,  AMIF,  COSME,  Horizon  2020  and  the  Structural  Reform  Support 
Programme. 
68  EMN 
affairs/sites/homeaffairs/files/com_ad-hoc_query_integration_wider_dissemination.pdf.  
69 https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/RefugeeIntegrationCostBenefitAnalysis_Final.pdf.  

https://ec.europa.eu/home-

on  monitoring 

integration 

2018), 

query 

(Dec. 

hoc 

ad 

24 

 
 
                                                            
 
today: the human and social cost of economic exclusion, the spread of all forms of extremist 
ideologies  and  a  lack  of  trust  in  the  fairness  of  housing  or  health  systems.  With  this  action 
plan, the Commission sets out a strong framework to strengthen and step up integration and 
inclusion  policies  across  the  EU,  thus  contributing  to  the  broader  social  inclusion  agenda, 
drawing  also  on  other  relevant  strategies  and  actions  in  the  field  of  education,  culture, 
employment,  non-discrimination  and  equality.  In  implementing  this  action  plan,  the 
Commission  will  work  closely  with  Member  States,  local  and  regional  authorities,  civil 
society  organisations,  social  and  economic  partners,  the  private  sector,  host  communities, 
diaspora organisations and migrants. 

The  implementation  of  the  actions  presented  in  the  action  plan  will  be  monitored,  progress 
will be reported and actions adapted where needed. A mid-term review of the action plan will 
be conducted at the end of 2024. The Commission will regularly report on the implementation 
of the action plan to the European Parliament and the Council. To ensure full transparency on 
the  implementation  of  the  action  plan,  the  Commission  will  develop  an  interactive  online 
platform, to be hosted on the European Website on Integration, to monitor progress and allow 
for contributions from a wider range of partners. 

25