The participation of migrants in the design and implementation of integration-relevant policies : approaches and practices in EU Member States.
Date: 2025-10-22
Institutions: Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs, Migrant Integration Hub
Subjects: EU Member State, EU financial instrument, EU financing, EU policy - national policy, action programme, integration of migrants, migration policy, policymaking, regional policy, report

The participation of migrants in the 
design and implementation of 
integration-relevant policies 

Approaches and practices in EU Member States 

Migrant Integration Hub 
October - 2025 

 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs 
Directorate C — Migration & Asylum 
Unit C2 — Legal Pathways and Integration 

Contact:  Gabriele Puccianti 

E-mail:   EU-Migrant-Integration-Hub@ec.europa.eu 

European Commission 
B-1049 Brussels 

 
 
EUROPEAN COMMISSION 

The participation of migrants in 
the design and implementation of 
integration-relevant policies 
Approaches and practices in EU Member States 

2025 

EN 

Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs 
Migrant Integration Hub 

Manuscript completed in October 2025 

This document has been prepared for the European Commission however it reflects the views only of the 
authors, and the European Commission is not liable for any consequence stemming from the reuse of this 
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© European Union, 2025 

The reuse policy of European Commission documents is implemented by Commission Decision 
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Unless otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under a Creative Commons Attribution 
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PDF 

ISBN 978-92-68-32831-6 

doi:10.2837/1286544        DR-01-25-016-EN-N 

 
 
 
The participation of migrants in the design and implementation of integration-relevant policies 

Contents 

1. 

Introduction and background .................................................................. 6 

2.  Consultative and collaborative mechanisms .......................................... 7 

2.1. Overview .................................................................................................. 7 

2.1.2 Consultative mechanisms with migrant organisations ............................ 7 

2.1.3 Collaboration on policy design and implementation ............................... 9 

2.2  Country summaries................................................................................ 10 

3.  Enhancing the capacity of migrant-led organisations and consultative 
bodies ..................................................................................................... 22 

4.  Challenges ............................................................................................... 24 

5.  Good practices ........................................................................................ 27 

6.  Conclusion ............................................................................................... 37 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.  Introduction and background 

their  active  participation 

The  Action  Plan  on  Integration  and  Inclusion  2021-2027  recognises  that 
“including  migrants  and  EU  citizens  with  a  migrant  background  as  well  as 
in  consultative  and  decision-making 
promoting 
processes  can  help  empower  them  and  ensure  that  integration  and  inclusion 
policies are more effective and reflect real needs”. The European Commission 
(EC)  therefore  encourages  Member  States  to  “involve  migrants  and  migrant 
organisations  in  the  design,  implementation  and  evaluation  of  integration  and 
inclusion policies and programmes, including when EU-funded" (p20).  

Across the EU, there are significant differences in how migrants are involved in 
the definition and implementation of policies that are relevant to integration. Some 
Member  States  do  not  have  any  formal  consultative  mechanisms,  while 
governments  in  others  support  consultative  structures  at  local,  regional  or 
national level. Using questionnaires completed by its EU-wide network of national 
integration  experts,  the  Migration  Policy  Group  produced  for  the  Migrant 
integration  hub  this  analysis  to  map  approaches  and  practices  of  involving 
migrant and migrant organisations in policy making and implementation at local, 
regional and national level across the EU. 

The  information  is  complemented  by  comparative  data  on  participation  in 
consultative and decision-making processes in all 27 Member States, gathered 
by the Migration Policy Group (MPG) for a new political participation policy index 
of  the  New  Europeans  Initiative,  and  for  forthcoming  updates  to  the  ‘political 
participation’  strand  of  the  Migrant  Integration  Policy  Index  (MIPEX).  In  9 
countries more information is provided on projects funded under the 2020 AMIF 
call  for  proposals  for  transnational  actions  on  “promoting  the  participation  of 
migrants in the design and implementation of integration policies”. These projects 
are 
EMVI, 
MigrantVoicesHeard, MILE, PISTE and SHAPE. 

2incING,  Consulting 

EUTH,  DEPART, 

EMBRACE, 

This analysis uses the term ‘migrant’ to refer to all third-country nationals (TCNs), 
regardless of an individual’s permit type and the reasons for which they migrated 
to the EU. If a particular initiative or policy applies only to a certain migrant group 
(such as those granted international protection), this is specified within the text. 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
2.  Consultative and collaborative mechanisms 

2.1.  Overview 

Country  experts  were  asked  whether  consultative  mechanisms  for  migrants  – 
whereby  policy-  and  decision-makers  formally  seek  evidence  and  views  from 
migrant groups affected by a (potential) policy - are established at the regional 
and/or local level in their country, and to elaborate on how widespread these 
are. The question was a general one, allowing country experts to reference any 
mechanisms  they  felt  relevant  and  taking  into  account  the  fact  that  such 
processes – indeed, the very definition of such processes – can vary by country: 
some are systematic and extensive; others are brief, seeking a quick indication 
of potential impact only, for example. 

local, 

In  addition,  experts  were  asked  to  consider  efforts  to  involve  migrants  in  the 
design  and  then  implementation  stages  of  integration  policies  (including 
monitoring and evaluation) in their country, and to specify to what extent there is 
regional,  and/or  national  public  authorities. 
collaboration  among 
‘Collaboration’ here is understood as a further step in the consultation process, 
where  actors  at  different  levels  work  together  to  ensure  that  the  needs  and 
opinions of migrant communities are taken into account at every stage of policy- 
and decision-making processes. As experts’ feedback shows, in many countries 
there is no clear difference between these consultation and collaboration stages, 
rather such consultation mechanisms and efforts to collaborate come and go, or 
are combined, according to political priorities, available funding, and influence of 
migrant organisations. 

2.1.2 Consultative mechanisms with migrant organisations 

Comparative  MIPEX  data  on  the  existence  of  consultative  mechanisms  finds 
them  at  national  level  in  17  EU  Member  States.  Belgium,  Croatia,  Czechia, 
Estonia,  Finland,  Germany, 
the 
Netherlands,  Portugal,  Slovenia  and  Spain  have  dedicated  structures.  In 
Denmark, Poland and Sweden, migrants may participate in general consultation 
mechanisms along with the wider public.  

Italy,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg, 

Ireland, 

According to the information collected, a third of EU Member States have 
relevant  consultative  mechanisms  at  both  regional  and  local  levels. 
Mechanisms  are  found  to  exist  most  commonly  at  the  local  level.  Czechia, 
Finland,  Germany,  Ireland  and  Spain  have  consultative  structures  at  all  three 
levels of government. No consultative mechanisms are identified, at any level, in 
Bulgaria, Hungary, Malta and Romania. 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
The below table shows whether consultative mechanisms for migrants exist 
in each EU Member State at national, regional and local level, according to EWSI 
country experts and MIPEX researchers: 

National level 

Regional level 

Local level 

AT 

BE 

BG 

HR 

CY 

CZ 

DK 

EE 

FI 

FR 

DE 

EL 

HU 

IE 

 x 

x 

x 

(x) 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

8 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
IT 

LV 

LT 

LU 

MT 

NL 

PL 

PT 

RO 

SK 

SL 

ES 

SE 

x 

x 

x 

x 

(x) 

x 

x 

x 

(x) 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

x 

(x) – general consultation mechanism exists, in which migrant organisations may 
participate. 

2.1.3 Collaboration on policy design and implementation 

In  terms  of  collaboration  on  policy  design  and  implementation,  in  Greece  it  is 
reported that there are, at local level, systematic, joint efforts at monitoring 
and evaluation in their country. Nine experts - in Denmark, Finland, Germany, 
Hungary,  Ireland,  Luxembourg,  the  Netherlands,  Portugal  and  Romania  - 
identified  regularised  exchange  platforms  or  networks  (at  any  level).  This 
reflects  to  a  certain  extent  the  stronger  collaboration  that  exists  -  according  to 
9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
country  experts  -  across  levels  of  governance  in  some  of  these  countries  (the 
Netherlands,  for  example,  and  Ireland  and  Germany).  In  Bulgaria,  Croatia, 
Cyprus,  Czechia,  Estonia,  Italy,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Malta,  Poland,  Slovakia, 
Slovenia,  Spain  and  Sweden  there  is  periodic,  informal  exchange  between 
relevant actors. 

Figure 1 –  

Considering  efforts  to  involve  migrants  in  the  design  of  integration  policies  and  their 
implementation  (including  monitoring  and  evaluation),  to  what  extent  is  there 
collaboration among local, regional, and/or national public authorities? 

2.2.  Country summaries 

This section provides a non-exhaustive overview of the consultative mechanisms 
that  exist  in  each  country  at  the  national,  regional  and  local  level,  based  on 
information provided by the migration hub and MIPEX country experts.  

Austria 

In Austria, no consultative mechanism was identified at national level. There are, 
however, migrant advisory boards operating sporadically at the local level, with 
25 cities nationwide having established one. Their concrete tasks, composition 
and legal basis vary widely from municipality to municipality. Most prominent are 
10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
the advisory boards of Graz and Linz (the second and third biggest cities in the 
country and both federal state capitals). The Migrant:innenbeirat der Stadt Graz 
is  directly  elected  by  the  migrant  population  of  Graz  every  five  years,  while 
members of the Migrations- und Integrationsbeirat Linz are appointed by migrant 
organisations.  The  task  of  both  bodies  is  to  represent  the  city's  migrant 
populations  in  the  political  sphere,  and  to  counsel  political  bodies  and  city 
authorities on integration issues.  

Belgium 

There  are  two  consultative  bodies  at  national  level  to  which  migrants  can  -  in 
theory  –  contribute  in  Belgium.  First,  the  Conseil  consultatif  des  étrangers  is 
responsible  for  issuing  opinions  on  proposals  for  laws,  decrees  or  orders 
concerning migrants’ access to, stay within and removal from the country. The 
council comprises representatives of different ministries, as well as Belgian and 
foreign representatives of organisations dealing with the defence of the interests 
of  migrant  workers  and  recognised  student  organisations.  Second,  the 
Commission  consultative  des  étrangers,  which  includes  judges,  lawyers  and 
members  of  the  public,  serves  to  promote  the  interests  of  migrants  within  an 
assistance  organisation,  a  group,  a  movement  or  an  organisation.  In  practice, 
these two bodies are not commonly known by migrants and do not have active 
responsibilities. 

Structures  at  the  regional  level  allow  for  the  development  of  initiatives  to 
encourage  the  civic  and  political  participation  of  migrants,  such  as  the  eight 
Regional Integration Centres in Wallonia. 

Bulgaria 

In Bulgaria, no formalised consultative mechanisms were identified at national, 
regional or local level, although in recent years there has been some effort from 
NGOs  to  create  consultation  bodies  comprising  people  with  refugee  status. 
These have been limited in both scope and duration. 

There is irregular, informal exchange between relevant stakeholders, which often 
takes  the  form  of  consultations  at  one-off  advocacy  events.  These  events  are 
usually organised by international organisations (such as UNHCR  and IOM) in 
conjunction  with  Bulgarian  NGOs,  such  as  the  Bulgarian  Red  Cross,  the 
Bulgarian Council on Refugees and Migrants, and the Multi Kulti Collective. 

Croatia 

In  2021,  the  Office  for  Human  Rights  and  the  Rights  of  National  Minorities 
established at national level the Advisory group for citizens of third countries and 
persons of migrant origin. The group is convened twice a year, with the aim of 
strengthening  the  role  of  migrants  in  the  political  debate  and  their  ability  to 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
contribute  to  the  improvement  and  development  of  integration  policies  and 
strategies. 

An  advisory  group  of  ten  people  with  migrant  and  refugee  backgrounds  was 
established in Croatia in 2024 by public authorities at the national level. Alongside 
this, there already exists a coordination body in Zagreb. This body is made up of 
various  stakeholders  including  people  with  refugee  and  migrant  backgrounds, 
and  is  often,  although  not  systematically,  consulted  on  the  development  of 
integration policy dimensions in Zagreb. 

Cyprus 

At the national level in Cyprus there are no formalised consultation mechanisms, 
although ad-hoc consultation with migrants take place on specific issues.  

An established consultative mechanism for migrants exists at the local level in 
the city of Limassol, run via the Intercultural Council of Limassol. Further, through 
the Intercultural Cities programme of the Council of Europe, regional intercultural 
networks  have  been  formed  with  local  organisations.  The  aim  of  these  is  to 
facilitate collaboration between the local and regional levels for the creation and 
implementation  of  intercultural  action  plans  and  strategies,  and  ultimately  to 
develop consultative mechanisms following the Council of Europe’s blueprint for 
multi-level governance of intercultural integration policies. 

Czechia 

In Czechia, there are several general consultative mechanisms to which migrants 
can  contribute  at  the  national  and  regional  levels,  and  several  dedicated 
mechanisms for migrant consultation at the local level.  

Its  members 

At  national  level,  the  Government  Council  for  Human  Rights  includes  a 
Committee for the Rights of Foreigners, which serves as an advisory body on the 
rights  of  migrants. 
from  public 
administration,  NGOs,  and  academia.  Migrants  can  submit  suggestions  and 
feedback on integration policies via member NGOs. Other general consultative 
mechanisms  at  national  level  to  which  migrants  can  contribute  include  the 
Government Council for National Minorities and Tripartite (Council for Economic 
and Social Agreement of the Czech Republic). 

representatives 

include 

Czechia also has Regional Council Committees for National Minorities - advisory 
bodies to self-governing authorities - which sometimes address issues of migrant 
integration.  Some  regions,  such  as  Liberec  and  Olomouc,  have  established 
commissions or working groups for migrant integration. All regions have AMIF-
funded  regional  advisory  platforms  at  integration  centres,  some  of  which  allow 
participation from representatives of migrant organisations. 

Mechanisms at local level include the Community Planning of Social Services, 
ad-hoc strategic planning sessions for migrant integration (so-called ‘Integration 
12 

 
 
 
 
 
Concepts’)  in  larger  cities  like  Prague  and  Brno,  municipal  committees  for 
national minorities in many smaller towns, and other municipal commissions for 
migrant integration. The nationwide Consortium of Migrants Assisting NGOs also 
plays a key role in advocacy and lobbying for national policies and measures in 
integration,  and  actively  involves  migrants  in  its  feedback  and  evaluation 
activities. 

Denmark 

In Denmark there is a general consultative mechanism for all new law proposals 
at the national level, to which any organisation can submit feedback or remarks, 
including migrant-led organisations. 

There  are  also  Local  Integration  Committees  in  36  of  the  country’s  98 
municipalities, with many elected members having a migrant or minority ethnic 
background. These committees are consulted on local integration policies. There 
is also a wider National Integration Committee which serves the same purpose 
at national level. 

Estonia 

The Ministry of Culture runs the Council of Ethnic Minorities, an advisory body 
which  presents  proposals  for  the  promotion  of  the  cultural  life  and  activities  of 
Estonian  national  minorities,  including  migrant  groups,  to  contribute  to  the 
promotion of  the  cultural  life  and  activities  of  national  minorities  in  accordance 
with national legislation. 

Finland 

In  Finland,  many  migrant  organisations  operate  to  influence  policy  at  national, 
regional and local levels, and there are umbrella organisations for migrants which 
operate  either  regionally  or  nationally.  Most  notable  are  Moniheli,  the  Finnish 
Refugee Council, Monika – Multicultural Women’s Association, and the Finnish 
Red Cross.  

There are also several projects aimed at improving the political participation and 
consultation of migrants which work in cooperation with regional actors, such as 
the  AMIF-funded  Integration  2022  and  Integration  2024  events  and  the 
Kumppanuudessa project. Key regional actors in these projects are ELY Centres, 
wellbeing services and associations of municipalities. Consultative mechanisms 
at the local level exist in the form of migrant and/or multicultural councils in all 
major  cities  in  Finland,  with  some  councils  collaborating  in  order  to  operate 
together at the regional level. 

The  improvement  of  cooperation  between  actors  in  the  field  of  integration  is 
included  as  an  objective  in  Finland’s  act  on  the  promotion  of  immigrant 
integration.  To  this  end,  the  Advisory  Board  for  Ethnic  Relations  (Etno)  was 
created. It operates at the national level under the Ministry of Justice, and its main 
13 

 
 
 
 
 
task is to enable regular cooperation and better understanding between migrants, 
ethnic  minorities,  authorities,  political  parties  and  non-governmental 
organisations.  

Various platforms and cooperation bodies also exist to promote collaboration on 
integration  between  different  Finnish  actors.  This 
the 
Kumppanuudessa  project,  for  example,  which  is  funded  by  the  Ministry  of 
Economic  Affairs  and  Employment.  The  project  takes  a  multidisciplinary 
approach  to  promoting  a  diversity  of  migrant  voices,  in  order  to  ensure  that 
integration practitioners have a better understanding of the conditions needed to 
ensure equal opportunities. 

the  goal  of 

is 

France 

In  France,  consultative  structures  are  currently  not  established  at  the  national 
level.  However,  the  government  allows  municipalities  to  set  up  consultative 
committees  on  topics  of  communal  interest.  These  committees  were  not 
historically set up for migrants, but various municipalities have used them as an 
opportunity  to  consult  migrants  and  promote  their  participation.  These  foreign 
nationals’  advisory  councils  (“conseils  consultatifs  des  étrangers”)  can  cover  a 
wide range of subjects, including integration policy.  

Also of note, the “Academy for the participation of refugees” was opened in 2021 
to offer training to refugees, in order to enhance their participation in policies and 
programmes related to migration. It is run by the Interministerial Delegation for 
the Reception and Integration of Refugees, UNHCR, and the French Institute for 
International Relations (Ifri). 

Germany 

Germany  has  several  umbrella  organisations  representing  migrant  interests  at 
the national level, such as the Federal Working Group of Immigrant Associations 
in  Germany  (BAGIV).  The  Interior  Ministry  also  supports  the  work  of  umbrella 
organisation  BV-NEMO,  which  counts  more  than  750  member  migrant 
organisations that are active in most federal states. 

In  addition,  ‘municipal  migrant  representatives’  have  been  elected  since  the 
1970s  to  enable  migrants  to  have  targeted  political  representation  and 
participation  at  local  and  regional  level.  The  umbrella  organisation  Foreigners' 
Advisory Council for the federal state of Hesse is one example of this, and the 
Integration Council of the City of Cologne - which advises the city administration 
on issues of integration, migration and cultural diversity - is another. 

In Germany there is collaboration between relevant stakeholders up to the federal 
level. The Federal Immigration and Integration Council (BZI), formerly the Federal 
Advisory Council for Foreigners, is the point of contact for government bodies at 
federal  level  when  it  comes  to  developing  integration-  and  migration-related 

14 

 
 
 
 
 
policies. The BZI represents approximately 400 migration councils from all federal 
states except Berlin, Hamburg, North Rhine-Westphalia and Schleswig-Holstein. 
In addition, the Federal Government Commissioner for Migration, Refugees and 
Integration works at federal and regional level by incorporating the interests of 
people with a migration background into political decision-making processes and 
advising various stakeholders. 

Another initiative is the German Islam Conference (DIK): a body at federal level 
with  many  migrant  members  which  works  on  a  wide  range  of  issues  including 
integration policy. Since 2006, the DIK has been the federal government's central 
forum for dialogue between the German state and its diverse Muslim populations, 
with stakeholders from municipal to federal level. These include Islamic umbrella 
and  umbrella  organisations,  young  initiatives  and  associations,  and  Muslim 
individuals.  It  also  has  representatives  of  the  federal  government,  the  federal 
states  and  the  municipalities,  as  well  as  representatives  of  churches,  Jewish 
communities, and related academia and practice. 

Greece 

In Greece, Migrant and Refugee Integration Councils (MRICs) - which serve as 
counselling and consultative bodies on migrant and refugee issues - have been 
established  in  15  of  332  municipalities.  There  are  also  Migrant  Integration 
Centres  (MICs)  within  municipality  community  centres  in  areas  hosting  larger 
numbers  of  migrants,  which  can  be  called  upon  to  participate  in  policy-related 
consultations. 

MRICs are consulted by municipality authorities on relevant topics and promote 
civic  participation.  Relevant  activities  include  identification  and  examination  of 
integration  issues  at  municipal  level,  collaboration  with  public  and  municipality 
authorities to resolve these issues, and submission of integration-related policy 
proposals to the municipality council. This facilitates the participation of migrants 
in the design and implementation of integration policies at the local level.  

Hungary 

There is no regularised, formal consultative mechanism for migrants in Hungary, 
but a consultative mechanism does exist to a certain extent, for people displaced 
from Ukraine only, as part of the Regional Refugee Response Plan (RRP). The 
UNHCR has consulted approximately 100 people displaced from Ukraine through 
focus group discussions for integration policy planning purposes, and in 2025 will 
bring  together  more  than  30  refugee-led  organisations  to  identify  refugee 
‘response priorities’ and necessary integration strategy adjustments. Otherwise, 
refugee and migrant organisations in Hungary are consulted by the UNHCR on 
an ad-hoc basis, for integration-related advocacy at national and EU level. 

15 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Ireland 

In  recent  years,  Ireland  has  seen  growing  recognition  of  the  importance  of 
involving  migrants  in  policy  design  and  the  monitoring  and  evaluation  of 
integration strategies. One notable development in this area is the establishment 
of the Migrant Consultations for Anti-Racism and Integration Policies (which have 
so far taken place twice, in 2022 and 2023). These consultations see the national 
government, in collaboration with organisations such as the Irish Network Against 
Racism  (INAR),  host  consultations  with  migrants  to  gather  input  on  how 
integration policies and anti-racism strategies are performing. 

There  are  also  consultative  mechanisms  at  the  regional  and  local  levels  that 
ensure  migrant  communities  can  participate  in  decision-making  processes. 
Public  Participation  Networks  (PPNs),  for  example,  operate  in  every  local 
authority, providing a mechanism for citizens and organisations, including migrant 
communities,  to  engage  in  local  governance.  NGOs  facilitate  consultation 
between migrant communities’ local authorities and the national government on 
an ad hoc basis. 

Local authorities are responsible for the implementation of the national ‘Migrant 
Integration Strategy’, which provides a framework for promoting the inclusion of 
migrants.  Local  Authority  Integration  Forums  have  been  established  in  many 
localities, such as Dublin and Limerick, and provide migrants with the opportunity 
to engage with local authorities on issues such as housing, healthcare, education, 
and employment. 

Italy 

A national consultative body to address issues facing migrant workers and their 
families has existed in Italy since the 1990s. There are also Territorial Immigration 
Councils (Consigli territoriali per l'immigrazione), located in each territorial office 
of the Ministry of the Interior (Prefetture). In theory, these councils are responsible 
for promoting the participation of associations representing migrants and migrant 
associations  in  the  implementation  of  policies  at  local  level,  however  in  recent 
years  they  have  been  seldom  convened.  Instead,  issue-based  consultation 
processes are activated by the DG Immigration and Integration of the Ministry of 
Labour and Social Affairs on an ad-hoc basis. In other cases the consultation of 
migrant associations has rather been the result of advocacy activities by migrant 
associations. 

At the local level, there are two types of consultative mechanisms that promote 
migrant  participation  in  policy  making:  the  immigration  councils  (Consulte 
Immigrazione),  composed  of  elected  representatives  of  migrant  communities, 
and 
(Consigliere  Aggiunto  per 
l'immigrazione), elected by the migrant population, who can present petitions and 
intervene in municipal councils. As of 2019, there are 32 local consultative bodies 

Immigration  Counsellor 

the  Deputy 

16 

 
 
 
 
 
active  in  Italy,  distributed  across  6  regions:  Abruzzo,  Emilia  Romagna,  Friuli 
Venezia Giulia, Emilia Romagna, Toscana and Trentino Alto Adige. 

Latvia 

Latvia  has  a  number  of  structures  designed  to  ensure  the  participation  of  all 
residents  in  decision  making  processes  at  the  local  level,  including  the 
Consultative Board on Social Integration Issues in the municipality of Riga, citizen 
forums and neighbourhood associations. Several migrant-led organisations (such 
as  the  Ar  pasaules  pieredzi  Latvijā  association)  have  participated  in  the 
consultative board.  

In  Latvia  there  is  no  systematic  collaboration  between  local  and  national 
authorities  when  it  comes  to  the  involvement  of  migrants  in  designing  and 
implementing  integration  policies.  However,  informal  and  irregular  exchange 
between relevant actors can be identified wherein local and national authorities 
attend  events  at  which  migrant-supporting  NGOs  and  migrant  community 
representatives share their experiences of and suggestions for future integration 
policies. These exchanges happen on an ad-hoc basis: examples can be found 
in  the  migrant  consultative  body  established  by  the  MILE  project  in  Riga, 
stakeholder  exchange  seminars  organised  by  PROVIDUS,  and  the  LAMPA 
Conversation Festival.  

Lithuania 

Consultative mechanisms are limited for migrants and migrant-led organisations 
in  Lithuania,  but  a  consultative  body  does  exist  at  the  national  level  within  the 
Ministry of Social Security and Labour, which has previously sought feedback on 
integration policies from refugees via seminars and workshops. Apart from this, 
most migrant consultation occurs on an ad-hoc basis and in the form of advocacy 
by migrants and migrant organisations. 

Migrants are sometimes included as advocates or advisors for service providers, 
governmental  agencies,  or  ministries  in  Latvia,  on  an  ad-hoc  basis  (without 
structural support measures to ensure systematic collaboration). 

Luxembourg 

In  2024,  Luxembourg  established  the  “Higher  Council  for  Intercultural  Living 
Together” (Conseil Supérieur du Vivre-ensemble interculturel), which is made up 
of representatives, both national and migrant citizens, of 100 municipal councils. 
This  consultative  body  gives  opinions  on  and  supports  the  implementation  of 
integration  policies.  Given  that  migrants  (both  EU  nationals  and  third-country 
nationals) make up almost 50% of the country’s population, integration policies 
are designed for all migrants without differentiation between groups.  

The  Ministry  of  Family,  Solidarity  and  Living  Together  is  collaborating  with 
municipalities via the "Forum of living together in our municipalities". This forum 
17 

 
 
 
 
 
provides  space  for  feedback  on  integration  policies  from  the  local  level,  the 
sharing  of  good  practices,  and  information  provision  to  municipal  authorities. 
Currently, the government is organising open public hearings for the development 
of activities and policies under the national Integration Action Plan. 

Malta 

In  Malta,  there  is  currently  no  formal  consultation  mechanism  established  for 
migrants at any level. The Local Integration Charter, which was drawn up as part 
of the work of the Human Rights Directorate and signed by the Local Councils 
Association,  does  not  make  specific  reference  to  consultative  mechanisms 
although it does allude to involving migrant communities at local level in 1) the 
organisations of important awareness campaigns and 2) addressing community 
tensions. Some local councils organise events sporadically, to promote dialogue 
with migrants, with no established commitment to ensuring that such discussions 
result in policy change. 

The Netherlands 

There are various formal mechanisms in the Netherlands - at both national and 
regional  level  -  that  ensure  migrant  perspectives  are  taken  into  account  in 
integration  policy  choices.  The  Netherlands  Institute  for  Human  Rights,  for 
example, has a council which advises the government on human rights and anti-
discrimination  policies,  and  migrant  organisations  and 
community 
representatives  are  invited  to  share  recommendations  through  this  council. 
Additionally,  there  are  a  number  of  formalised  platforms  and  networks  which 
directly  consult  migrants  and  are  dedicated  to  promoting  their  integration  and 
inclusion. The Advisory Council on Migration, for example, which counts migrant 
organisations  and  migrant  experts  as  council  members,  is  a  formal  advisory 
board that advises the government. 

Collaboration on integration policy in the Netherlands - between local, regional, 
and  national  authorities  -  is  generally  extensive  and  well-coordinated.  Various 
platforms  and  networks  facilitate  regular  exchange  between  government 
authorities and migrant communities on the contents of the national integration 
agenda  (developed  at  both  local  and  regional  level),  and  AMIF  funding 
contributes  to  the  running  of national  programmes  and  local  initiatives  through 
which migrants are able to contribute to integration policies. 

Poland 

Poland  conducts  ad-hoc  consultations  with  social  organisations  dealing  with 
migration  issues,  including  migrant-led  organisations,  on  draft  migration  and 
integration policies. Public consultation on proposed legislation is mandatory in 
Poland,  and  while  consultation  with  migrant  organisations  specifically  is  not 
required,  ministries  do  typically  consult  with  selected  migrant  organisations. 
Occasionally  such  consultations  are  extensive,  as  in  the  case  of  the  recent 

18 

 
 
 
 
 
amendment to the Act on assistance to Ukrainian citizens in connection with the 
armed conflict on the territory of Ukraine. 

In addition, the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy plans to establish a 
National Integration Network in 2025, as part of its AMIF (Asylum, Migration and 
Integration Fund) programme, comprising diverse stakeholders including migrant 
organisations. 

There are also several consultative mechanisms for migrants at the local level in 
Poland,  particularly  in  larger  cities.  These  are  not  required  by  law,  but  are 
introduced  on  an  ad-hoc  basis  at  the  initiative  of  local  authorities.  Examples 
include the Sectoral Commission for Social Dialogue in Warsaw, the Immigrant 
Council  in  Gdańsk  (of  which  all  members  are  migrants),  the  Council  for 
Intercultural  Dialogue  in  Wrocław,  Łódź  of  Diversity  Coalition  in  Łódź,  the 
Interdisciplinary  Team  for  Cooperation  on  the  Implementation  of  the  "Open 
Krakow" Programme in Kraków, and the Commission for Civic Dialogue on the 
Urban Support System for Immigrant Integration in Lublin.  

Portugal 

At the national level in Portugal, the Council for Migrations is the national body 
for consultation, support and participation in the definition of broad lines of action, 
ensuring the participation and collaboration of public and private entities in the 
definition and implementation of migration policies. 

Consultative mechanisms for migrants also exist in Portugal at the local level - in 
some municipalities - via municipal plans for migrant integration. It is mostly large 
cities that have such a plan, as they host the biggest migrant communities, as 
well as smaller cities which either host seasonal migrant workers or are planning 
to welcome more migrants in an attempt to grow their populations.  

Romania 

In Romania, consultations may happen across all levels on an ad-hoc basis, on 
specific topics. 

Integration  policies  in  Romania  are  designed  at  national  level  by  the  General 
Inspectorate for Immigration, with contribution from relevant ministries (such as 
those  in  charge  of  education,  health  and  labour).  Migrants  and  migrant-led 
organisations are not usually involved in the design of integration policies at any 
stage, however since 2021 certain municipalities - those hosting larger numbers 
of  refugees  and  migrants  -  have  appointed  local  integration  support  groups. 
These  groups  comprise  representatives  of  all  local  authorities  that  have  a 
responsibility  on  integration  (such  as  social  services,  the  employment  office, 
school inspectorates, etc.) and of the main NGOs working with migrants in the 
area. Some of these groups are active and provide an arena for collaboration on 

19 

 
 
 
 
 
integration policy design at the municipal level, although none seek out migrant 
community representatives for their contributions. 

Slovakia 

In Slovakia there is currently no national consultative body with migrant members 
which has the potential to influence public policies in migration and integration. 
Non-governmental or intergovernmental organisations are sometimes invited to 
meetings of the national Steering Committee for Migration and Integration, and 
are considered to represent the voices of migrants. Migrant organisations are also 
consulted  on  an  ad-hoc  basis,  for  example  in  the  development  of  funding 
strategies  for  integration  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour,  Social  Affairs,  and  Family, 
along  with  various  other  stakeholders.  In  addition  the  Committee  for  National 
Minorities and Ethnic Groups, which lies within the Government Council of the 
Slovak Republic for Human Rights, National Minorities, and Gender Equality, is 
responsible for issues concerning national minorities and ethnic groups and for 
implementing the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.  

Slovakia  has,  however,  established  consultative  mechanisms  for  migrants  at 
local and regional level. This is partly the result of the systematic work of non-
governmental organisations and the Association of Towns and Villages (ZMOS), 
which  initiated  projects  (e.g.,  BUK,  KapaCity)  aimed  at  developing  local 
integration  strategies  and  guiding  local  authorities  to  make  the  process  as 
effective as possible. So far, two local authorities have adopted such strategies: 
Košice (2018) and Nitra (2024), while several others are currently in the process 
of developing their integration strategies.  

Slovenia 

At the national level, the Social Chamber of Slovenia has established a section 
dedicated to migrant integration, through which NGOs and migrant organisations 
can be consulted. There is also a national consulting body, the Council for the 
Integration  of  Foreigners,  which  was  established  in  2012  and  plays  a  small 
advisory role. 

Additionally,  the  national  integration  strategy  (finalised  in  November  2023) 
foresees  the  establishment  of  Municipal  Councils  for  Foreigners  -  consultative 
bodies of local authorities – in each municipality, or the designation of a person 
in the municipal administration to advocate for the rights of migrants in decision 
making  processes.  At  the  local  level,  in  2023  the  Municipality  of  Ljubljana 
established  -  following  advocacy  by  the  EMVI  project  -  the  Council  for  the 
Integration of Migrants, which comprises migrant community representatives and 
consults on issues of migrant integration.  

20 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Spain 

At  the  national  level,  the  Forum  for  the  Social  Integration  of  Immigrants  is  a 
consultative body to the government in Spain whose main objective is to promote 
the participation and integration of migrants. 

Other consultative mechanisms do exist for migrants in Spain, at both regional 
and  municipal  level.  Their  existence  and  continuity  across  the  country  is  not 
systematic, rather is often linked to political goals. Examples of such mechanisms 
include  the  Barcelona  Municipal  Immigration  Council  (CMIB)  -  a  consultative, 
participative body at Barcelona City Council - composed of volunteer migrant and 
host  community  entities  and  associations,  social  officers,  municipal  political 
groups, and observers - and the Forum for the Social Integration of Immigrants 
(FISI):  the  government's  body  for  consultation,  information  and  advice  on  the 
integration of immigrants. 

Sweden 

There are no consultative bodies designed exclusively for migrants and migrant 
organisations  in  Sweden.  Instead,  migrant  organisations  can  participate  in 
general consultations - usually at the municipal level - alongside other civil society 
organisations. Municipalities in Sweden, of which there are 290, typically have a 
Civil  Society  Council  (Föreningsråd)  that  organises  consultations  between  civil 
society  organisations,  civil  servants  and,  occasionally,  politicians.  There  is 
generally no other systematic consultation with migrants or migrant organisations 
at the national or regional level, rather they are consulted at the local level on an 
ad-hoc basis. 

Government committees of inquiry release their reports - such as, for example, a 
report evaluating an existing integration policy or outlining integration policy gaps 
- to consultation by relevant bodies. These bodies typically include trade unions, 
employer organisations and other kinds of civil society organisations, including 
those  representing  migrants,  alongside  municipalities  and  other  government 
authorities. After this the consultation is opened to the public, and any Swedish 
person or entity can submit feedback on the report in question. 

21 

 
 
 
 
 
3.  Enhancing 

the 

capacity 

of  migrant-led 

organisations and consultative bodies 

Country experts also identified mechanisms in their country – at all levels - which 
enhance  the  ability  of  migrant-led  organisations  or  consultative  bodies  to 
contribute to the design and implementation of integration-relevant policies. 

Figure 2 – 

What mechanisms are available for migrant-led organisations or consultative bodies to 
enhance their ability to contribute to integration-relevant policies? 

Incentivisation mechanisms were identified in Estonia, Luxembourg, and the 
Netherlands.  In  Bulgaria,  Cyprus,  Czechia,  Italy,  Latvia  and  Sweden,  country 
experts identified capacity building programmes, and structural funding as a 
mechanism  was  identified  in  Belgium,  Croatia,  Denmark,  Finland,  Ireland  and 
Portugal. Country experts for Austria and Romania said that no such mechanisms 
exist in their countries. 

Experts in eight countries - France, Germany, Hungary, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, 
Slovakia,  Slovenia  and  Spain  -  described  ‘other’  types  of  mechanism  in  their 
countries.  The  country  expert  for  Poland,  for  example,  noted  that  although 
structural funding is not often available in this area, private funding mechanisms 
can be identified such as financing by the Citi Foundation. In Hungary, according 
to  the  country  expert  there,  there  are  some  capacity  building  and  funding 

22 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
mechanisms  available  (established  by  the  UNHCR)  but  they  are  designed 
exclusively  for  refugee-led  organisations,  rather  than  being  open  to  all migrant 
groups. Similarly, the country expert for Slovakia notes that prior to 2022, such 
mechanisms had been in decline, but that following high numbers of arrivals of 
displaced  people  from  Ukraine  there  are  now  some  opportunities  for  capacity 
building  and  some  structural  funding,  for  initiatives  supporting  this  specific 
refugee group. To some extent these mechanisms are already being expanded 
to  cater  to  other  migrant  groups.  In  Spain,  migrants  can  apply  for  general 
opportunities in the same way as native citizen-led initiatives. 

23 

 
 
 
 
 
4.  Challenges 

The  survey  questionnaire  also  asked  country  experts  if  they  are  aware  of  any 
challenges  in  the  setting  up  or  operation  of  consultative  mechanisms  in  their 
country.  

Only one country expert, in Estonia, said they were unaware of challenges, while 
those in Hungary, Bulgaria, Malta and Romania said that no such mechanisms 
exist, rendering it difficult to identify related challenges. Experts in the remaining 
22  countries  -  Austria,  Belgium,  Croatia,  Cyprus,  Czechia,  Denmark,  Finland, 
France,  Germany,  Greece,  Ireland,  Italy,  Latvia,  Lithuania,  Luxembourg, 
Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden - said they 
are aware of challenges and provided some examples. This section provides an 
overview of key obstacles identified. 

Slow and bureaucratic administrative procedures can create delays in setting 
up  or  maintaining  consultative  bodies.  Sometimes,  consultation  processes 
themselves  are  inconsistent  in  terms  of  requirements  and  accessibility,  and 
national, regional, and local consultative mechanisms do not always coordinate 
effectively together. This can lead to complex systems and uneven outcomes in 
terms  of  service  delivery,  policy  design,  migrant  participation  and,  ultimately, 
integration. In Greece, for example, complex bureaucratic systems can make it 
difficult  for  migrant  organisations  to  navigate  and  engage  in  consultative 
processes for which they are, in theory, eligible. Furthermore, asylum applicants 
face significant barriers to participating in formal consultative mechanisms due to 
their  more  precarious  legal  status.  In  Cyprus,  the  setting  up  and  operation  of 
consultative mechanisms generally requires the support and active engagement 
of  both  local  and  national  authorities,  so  the  process  can  be  slow.  The  expert 
there  noted  that  the  country’s  Deputy  Ministry  on  Migration  may  facilitate  the 
creation of relevant mechanisms in the future. Country experts in Ireland and the 
Netherlands also identified obstacles along these lines. 

In some countries, the lack - or limited capacity - of a state-led coordination 
structure dedicated to the civic and political participation of migrants can make 
it difficult to establish consultation mechanisms or bodies. According to country 
experts, this is the case in Belgium, Croatia, France, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal 
and  Sweden.  In  Croatia,  for  example,  there  is  no  separate,  independent  state 
institution  exclusively  dedicated  to  migrants  and  their  integration:  this  is  the 
responsibility  of  the  Governmental  Office  for  Human  Rights  and  the  rights  of 
National  Minorities,  which  tackles  many  issues  in  addition  to  those  related  to 
migrant integration. In France, there is no national mandate for the establishment 
of consultative mechanisms for migrants in general, however it has been possible 
to  establish  consultative  councils  for  migrant  residents  at  the  local  level  and 
specific  actions  were  taken  regarding  refugee  participation  through  the 
interministerial body for refugee reception and integration. 

24 

 
 
 
 
 
the  establishment  of  consultative 
for 
Dedicated  (sustainable)  funding 
mechanisms,  or  for  migrant  integration  more  generally,  is  also  an  important 
obstacle. Ensuring the long-term sustainability of consultative mechanisms can 
therefore  be  a  significant  challenge:  mechanisms  often  rely  on  project-based 
funding, the availability of which can be unpredictable. In Finland, promotion of 
migrant participation is a relatively new focus area, so no state resources have 
yet been allocated to it. The country expert in Ireland observes that many migrant-
led  organisations  there  operate  with  limited  financial  and  human  resources 
themselves, making it difficult for them to engage fully in consultative processes 
where they exist. Limited dedicated funding is also identified as a key obstacle in 
Denmark, France, Lithuania, the Netherlands and Spain. 

Lack of political will to engage with migrant-led organisations - or a lack of belief 
in  the  added  value  of  such  engagement  -  can  contribute  to  difficulties  in 
establishing  consultative  mechanisms  for  migrants.  In  Poland  and  Slovenia, 
consultations designed for migrants or in which they can participate are organised 
only on an ad hoc basis, at the discretion of ministries or other offices. The country 
expert in Poland identifies a lack of conviction on the part of policy makers and 
officials  around  the  effectiveness  of  such  consultations:  this  may  be  due  to 
(perceived) diverging interests of migrant representatives and authorities, or to a 
lack of sufficient knowledge and understanding of how this type of consultation 
can  be  carried  out  effectively.  Experts  in  Germany  and  Spain  highlight  limited 
political will to ultimately implement the recommendations made by consultation 
mechanisms, particularly those at the local level. Similar issues were identified in 
Croatia, Denmark, Latvia and Spain. 

A lack of information shared by authorities on existing consultative mechanisms 
can lead to a lack of awareness of their existence on the part of migrants, or to 
limited  understanding  of  how  they  work  and  how  they  can  be  accessed. 
According to country experts, this is the case in Austria, Belgium, Greece, Italy 
and  Latvia.  In  Austria,  there  is  limited  outreach  or  awareness-raising  by 
authorities  among  migrants  eligible  to  participate  in  consultative  mechanisms, 
which  may  be  the  reason  behind  current  low  migrant  participation  in  advisory 
bodies. In Belgium, migrants can vote at local level after five years’ continuous 
residence  but  are  often  not  aware  about  the  conditions  and  procedures  for 
exercising  their  electoral  rights  as  public  authorities  have  limited  capacity  to 
organise  voter  registration  and  awareness  campaigns.  In  Latvia  and  Spain, 
migrants are often unaware that they might be able to participate in consultations. 

It  may  also  be  the  case  that  while  eligible  migrant  groups  do  have  all  the 
necessary information on why and how to participate in consultative processes, 
the challenge is that they do not have the capacity to do so. This was highlighted 
as an obstacle in Austria, in particular. This lack of capacity refers mostly to time 
and finances: many potential migrant participants may not be able to secure time 
away  from  work  or  family  responsibilities  to  participate,  particularly  if  doing  so 
necessitates travel, or may be unable to cover the costs of required childcare and 

25 

 
 
 
 
 
/ or transport. Language and cultural barriers may also limit full engagement by 
migrants in consultation processes. This was highlighted as a particular issue in 
Ireland. 

Finally,  limited  trust  in  public  authorities  and  consultation  mechanisms, 
including a lack of faith that recommendations made would be taken into account, 
was  identified  as  a  key  obstacle  in  Germany,  Greece,  Ireland,  Italy  and 
Luxembourg.  Related  concerns  from  civil  society  organisations  in  Germany, 
Greece  and  Ireland  highlight  that  migrant  participants  selected  for  official 
consultation  processes  do  not  always  reflect  the  diversity  of  migrant  interests, 
which  can  serve  to  decrease  trust  in  their  effectiveness.  Furthermore, 
consultative  bodies  in  which  migrants  are  able  to  participate  often  function 
primarily  in  an  advisory  rather  than  decision-making  capacity,  limiting  their 
influence and therefore the wider conviction that they can serve to affect change. 
In Luxembourg, as in other countries, a lack of clarity was observed around the 
extent  to  which  migrants’  feedback  via  consultation  mechanisms  is  taken  into 
account,  due  to  limited  communication  and  follow-up  on  the  part  of  decision 
makers.  

26 

 
 
 
 
 
5.  Good practices 

A non-exhaustive list of good practices was collected in two areas: 

•  Examples  of  good  practices  in  the  involvement  of  migrants/migrant 
organisations  in  integration  policymaking  and  implementation  (e.g. 
consultative  bodies  /  mechanisms)  in  general  at  local,  regional,  and/or 
national level. 

•  Examples  of  good  practices  in  the  participatory  involvement  of 
migrants/migrant  organisations  in  specific  policy  areas  (such  as 
education;  employment;  health  care;  housing;  environment;  area-based 
urban development…) at local, regional and/or national level. 

It  is  worth  noting  that  not  all  practices  mentioned  are  currently  operational: 
sometimes  information  is  provided  on  longer  term  initiatives  that  have  ended; 
others were designed to be temporary.  

Projects funded by the 2020 AMIF call for proposals for transnational actions on 
“promoting  the  participation  of  migrants  in  the  design  and  implementation  of 
integration policies” are highlighted in yellow. 

Examples  of  good  practices 
involvement  of 
migrants/migrant organisations in integration policymaking and 
implementation at local, regional, and/or national level. 

the 

in 

Austria 

The  Migrant:innenbeirat  der  Stadt  Graz  (Migrants'  Advisory 
Board of the City of Graz) comprises 9 honorary members who 
are  directly elected  by  the city's  TCN  population  for a  5-year 
term.  It  represents  the  interests  of  migrants  in  Graz,  advises 
the  city  on  policy  and  administration,  shares  information 
provided by the city of Graz, advocates for better coexistence 
of  all  citizens, and  facilitates exchange between associations 
and communities. 

Relevant activities 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Migrations-  und 
Integration Advisory Board Linz) 

Integrationsbeirat  Linz 

(Migration  and 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Belgium 

The Minderheden Forum is a migrant participatory body which 
acts as the spokesperson for ethnic and cultural minorities to 
the  Flemish  government.  It  brings  together  approximately  15 
ethnocultural  associations  and  carries  out  analysis  and 
advocacy work in many areas. 

Implementation 
relevant policies 

partner 

for 

The  Centre  Bruxellois  d'Action  Interculturelle  (CBAI)  offers 
expertise  in  migration,  interculturality  and  social  cohesion, 
working with authorities at local and regional level to analyse 
and improve public policy. 

Monitoring  of  implementation  or 
ex-post evaluation of policies 

27 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bulgaria 

Multi  Kulti  Collective  and  the  Bulgarian  Council  on  Refugees 
and  Migrants  organised  a  6-month  consultation  process  with 
various  stakeholders  (including  TCNs) 
in 
Bulgaria's  first  Manifesto  on  Refugee  Integration.  It  was 
financed by AMIF through the NIEM project. 

that  resulted 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

In  the  early  months  of  the  Russian  war  against  Ukraine,  the 
Bulgarian  government  invited  all  stakeholders,  Ukrainian 
community  leaders  included,  to  weekly  consultations  on 
reception and initial integration. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Project  SHAPE  (Sharing  actions  for  the  participation  and 
empowerment of migrant communities and Local Authorities), 
funded  by  AMIF,  fosters  migrant  participation  in  democratic 
processes and in policy design and implementation at all levels 
in  five  EU  Member  States.  Migrant  focus  groups  on  gaps  in 
participatory processes and access to services identified good 
practices  and  culminated 
the  production  of  policy 
in 
recommendations for decision makers. 

The city of Limassol has an Intercultural Network, comprising 
20 members, bringing together local NGOs, municipality staff, 
migrants  -  migrant-led  organisations  and  other  stakeholders. 
The network supports the implementation and improvement of 
intercultural  policies.  The  Intercultural  Council  of  Limassol  is 
regularly invited to consult on policies at city level. The city also 
holds  public  consultations  on  a  variety  of  issues,  to  which 
individual  migrants  are  regularly  invited  to  contribute.  View  a 
report here. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Prague:  The  Regional  Advisory  Platform  has  been  operating 
since  2012  and  serves  as  a  regular  meeting  place  for 
stakeholders  in  the  field  of  migrant  integration  in  Prague. 
the  City  Hall, 
Participants 
municipal  districts,  service  providers,  migrant  and  non-profit 
organizations, as well as the private sector. The AMIF-funded 
platform is implemented by NGO Integration Centre Prague. 

include  representatives 

from 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Prague: MigAct, a project consortium of several Prague-based 
migrant  organisations,  gathers  and  conveys 
from 
Prague’s  migrant  communities  to  city  authorities  on  planning 
and coordination processes occurring in the city. 

input 

Monitoring  of  implementation  or 
ex-post evaluation of policies 

Brno:  Strategic  Planning  of  Foreigners’  Integration  in  Brno: 
migrant  and  non-profit  organisations,  as  well  as  migrant 
individuals  themselves,  are  regularly  consulted  during  the 
planning process for the city of Bruno's integration strategy. 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

The Cultural Council of National Minorities is an advisory body 
operating  at  the  Ministry  of  Culture  which  creates  policy 
proposals, evaluates activities and submits inquiries relating to 
the  promotion  of  the  cultural  life  of  national  minorities  in 
Estonia. 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

participation 

Municipal 
their 
immigrant/multicultural councils are key actors at the local level 
in Finland and can have significant impact on integration policy 

programmes 

and 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

28 

Croatia 

Cyprus 

Czechia 

Estonia 

Finland 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
at  the  local  level.  The  councils  promote  migrant  inclusion  by 
contributing  to  planning  and  monitoring  of  services  and 
integration policy decision-making. 

The Advisory Board for Ethnic Relations (Etno), which operates 
under  the  Ministry  of  Justice,  comprises  both  a  national 
advisory  board  and  seven  regional  advisory  boards.  It 
facilitates dialogue between migrants and different sectors and 
recommendations,  organising 
actors 
initiatives, and acting as a partner in research and development 
projects. 

in  society, 

issuing 

Implementation 
relevant policies 

partner 

for 

France 

The  city  of  Clermont-Ferrand  has  built  its  Contrat  Territorial 
d'Accueil  et  d'Intégration  (CTAI)  by  taking  into  account  the 
views  of  refugees  and  local  actors  working  alongside  them. 
This co-construction approach has enabled key focus areas to 
be  developed:  integration  through  employment,  solidarity, 
taking  into  account  the  vulnerabilities  associated  with  exile, 
housing and the participation of refugees in public life. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

The AGORA project's ‘Grenoble-Alpes Métropole Academy’ is 
a  civic  participation  body  which  brings  refugees  together  to 
discuss  their  reception  in  Grenoble  and  reflect  together  on 
ways to improve services. AGORA was set up as part of the 
AMIF-funded UNITES project. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Germany 

The Deutsche Islam Konferenz consults and advises on issues 
relating  to  coexistence  between  Muslims  and  non-Muslims  - 
including  various  migrant  communities  -,  Muslims  among 
local 
themselves,  and  mosque  communities  and 
environments. 

their 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Integrationsgipfel  (Integration  Summit) 

The 
takes  place 
regularly  in  the  Berlin  Chancellery  and  is  attended  by 
representatives from politics, the media, migrant associations, 
employers' associations, trade unions and sports associations, 
with the aim of discussing problems of immigrant integration in 
the  Federal  Republic  of  Germany.  The  most  recent  one  was 
held in 2021. 

Erlangen:  The  Ausländer-  und  Integrationsbeiräte  (Advisory 
Council for Foreigners and Integration, AIB) is a committee of 
members with a migration background which has been helping 
to  shape  policy  and  services  for  migrants  in  Erlangen  since 
1974. 

Greece 

The  Migrant  and  Refugees  Integration  Councils  (MRIC) 
operate  at 
level,  advocating  around  migrant 
integration and inclusion policies. 

local 

the 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Generation  2.0  advocacy  consults  on  immigration  and  social 
cohesion  policies  and  promotes  the  civic  engagement  of 
migrants throughout Greece. It collaborates with a range of civil 
society and state actors at local and regional level. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

29 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  Ministry  of  Migration  and  Asylum  organised  consultation 
meetings  with  members  of  the  Greek  Forum  of  Migrants  in 
order to gather feedback on (gaps within) existing integration 
policies. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Hungary 

The  Hungarian  Helsinki  Committee  organises  social 
participation  courses  for  young  refugees,  immigrants,  and 
Hungarian citizens with a migrant background. 

Ireland 

initiative 

The Ukraine Civil Society Forum was set up as an emergency 
response 
for  civil  society  organisations,  and 
subsequently  developed  to  include  state  agencies  and  other 
affected  communities.  The  forum  engages  with  national  and 
local  government  actors  by  sharing  testimonies  from  those 
working  at  the  'frontline'  and  using  these  to  promote  policy 
change.  It is  also  consulted  on  policies  following  changes,  in 
order to evaluate impact. 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

Cork  City  Council  has  a  Migrant  Consultative  Forum  which 
enables  migrants  to  contribute  to  shaping  local  integration 
policies and public services. 

Monitoring  of  implementation  or 
ex-post evaluation of policies 

Italy 

Migrant  associations  such  as  CONNGI,  'Italians  without 
citizenship',  and 
involved  via 
consultations  in  the  drafting  of  the  legislative  reform  of  the 
citizenship law in 2022. 

'IDEM  Network'  were 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Immigrati) 

The  Council  of  Immigrants  in  the  City  of  Naples  (Consulta 
the 
Comunale  degli 
competent  bodies  on  all  matters  relating  to  immigration  and 
expresses, at the request of the Municipal Administration, non-
binding opinions on all policy and programming acts relating to 
immigration. 

formulates  proposals 

to 

The  Municipality  of  Fermignano  -  which  participated  in  the 
AMIF-funded PISTE project - promotes the broad participation 
of  migrants  in  the  civic  and  political  environment,  rather than 
imposing  a  specific  consultation  mechanism.  Fermignano 
produced  information  tools  in  different  languages,  organised 
several  participatory  events  aimed  specifically  at  migrant 
women,  and set up a  'permanent observatory'  to monitor  the 
involvement of migrants in policy consultations. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Monitoring  of  implementation  or 
ex-post evaluation of policies 

Latvia 

As  part  of  the  AMIF-funded  MILE  project,  Riga  Municipality 
established a Migrant Consultative Body which contributed to 
the development of the city's migrant integration policy. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Lithuania 

A  representative  from  the  Refugee  Council  of  Lithuania  is 
included  in  the  Foreigners  Integration  Unit  at  the  Ministry  of 
Social  Security  and  Labour  (Source:  Interview  with  Lina 
Grudulaitė, Refugee Council of Lithuania, 2024-09-11). 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

Luxembourg  From  2020 

-  2023 

Interministerial  Committee  on 
Integration,  comprising  14  national  ministries,  held  meetings 
twice  annually  where  migrant  and  civil  society  organisations 

the 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

30 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
were  invited  to  provide  feedback  on  the  development  of 
integration policies. 

In  2023  a  very  large  national  consultation  took  place  on 
revisions to the national integration law. Migrants and migrant 
organisations were invited to join focus groups. 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

Malta 

the 

themselves  as  beneficiaries  of 

I  Belong 
Migrants 
Programme  and  of 
the  Learning-Exchanging-Integrating 
Project were key informants (through surveys, interviews and 
focus groups) of the Evaluation of the LEI project implemented 
by  The  People  for  Change  Foundation.  This  included  3 
interviews with migrant groups/organisations; over 500 survey 
respondents; over 20 interviews and 3 focus groups (besides 
interviews with non-migrant stakeholders). 

Monitoring  of  implementation  or 
ex-post evaluation of policies 

African Media Association was the implementing partner for the 
sessions  side  of  the  Turning  the  Tables  Programme  (see 
below). Interestingly, however, Aditus (a Maltese led NGO) was 
commissioned to produce the written outputs of the sessions. 

Implementation 
relevant policies 

partner 

for 

Netherlands  The AMIF-funded 2incING project aims to promote and support 
the  design  and 
refugee  and  migrant  participation 
implementation  of  integration  and  related  policies  at  local, 
regional, national and European level, with partners in several 
EU Member States. Among other key contributions, the project 
partner in  the  Netherlands contributed  to  the development of 
the  Training  Kit  for  Empowering  Refugee-Led  Community 
Organisations, which promotes national and EU level advocacy 
by migrant-led organisations. 

in 

Implementation 
relevant policies 

partner 

for 

The  AMIF-funded  project  Consulting  EUTH  sets  up 
consultative bodies of youth migrants at local and EU level in 
close  cooperation  with  public  authorities,  aiming  at  involving 
youth  migrants/refugees  in  active  political  life,  co-designing 
policies  addressed  to  migrants  and  refugees.  The  project 
partner in the Netherlands developed local awareness-raising 
campaigns to promote better involvement of migrants in local 
political life. 

The  Sectoral  Social  Dialogue  Committee  for  Foreigners 
(Branżowa Komisja Dialogu Społecznego ds. Cudzoziemców) 
is an advisory body at city level in Warsaw. Its main task is to 
advise  city  authorities  on  matters  related  to  foreigners. 
Members  of  the  Committee  are  also  invited  to  consult  on 
announcements  of  the  city's  grant  competitions  concerning 
migrant  integration,  as  well  as  to  participate  in  competition 
committees.  Currently,  the  Committee  consists  of  33  NGOs 
working for migrants and migrant associations. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Poland 

31 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Portugal 

Romania 

The Municipal Plan for the Integration of Migrants (2023) was 
designed in consultation with local level agencies, bodies and 
institutions, many of them migrant-led. A group of migrant-led 
associations (belonging to the Municipal Council for Intercultury 
and Citizenship - CMIC) were invited to regularly participate in 
decisive meetings on integration measures. 

The  AMIF-funded  Migrant  Voices  Heard  project  set  up  7 
migrant  councils,  at  local  and  regional  level,  across  Europe, 
including  in  Romania.  Public  authorities  were  then  able  to 
consult  migrants,  via  these  councils,  in  the  design  and 
implementation  of 
integration  policies.  The  project  also 
produced  a  range  of  instructive  materials,  including  a  video 
series, guidebooks and reports. 

The Coalition for Refugee and Migrant's Rights (CDMiR) brings 
together  23  non-governmental  organisations,  plus  academic 
institutions  and  international  organisations,  and  is  the  only 
coalition  of  civil  societies  in  Romania  active  in  the  field  of 
migration,  asylum  and  integration.  Among  other  activities  it 
consults  on  and  advocates  around  migrant  and  refugee 
integration policy. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Monitoring  of  implementation  or 
ex-post evaluation of policies 

Consultation  on  the  content  of 
draft policies and legislation 

Slovakia 

Bratislava:  At  the  local  government  level  in  Bratislava,  a 
consultative body established by the KapaCity project consults 
on  the  development  of  the  city's  first  integration  strategy  for 
foreigners. It is supported by the Bratislava Local Authority and 
Department for Support of People of Foreign Origin. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Nitra:  In  order  to  prepare  the  integration  strategy  of  the 
municipality  of  Nitra,  consultative  meetings  were  held  with 
migrants  from  the  city  so  that  they  might  comment  on  and 
discuss suggested measures from their perspective. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Slovenia 

Online  tool  DECIDIM  Ljubljana  enables  the  co-creation  of 
proposals  for  more  inclusive  policies  and  new  ways  of 
interaction  between  city  inhabitants  and  local  and  national 
authorities,  thereby  fostering  a  culture  of  democracy  and 
promoting the political participation of migrants at the local and 
municipal levels. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Projects EMVI (Empowering Migrant Voices on Integration and 
Inclusion  policies)  and  EMV-LII  (Empowering  Migrant  Voices 
for Local Integration and Inclusion) promote the participation of 
migrants in the design and implementation of policies in 8 EU 
countries, including Slovenia, and to bring their issues to local, 
national  and  EU  decision  makers.  Actions 
the 
development  of  several  practical  tools  and  a  number  of 
activities, tested and piloted in each country. 

include 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Spain 

The  Forum  for  the  Social  Integration  of  Immigrants  (FISI) 
serves  as  the  advisory  body  to  the  Spanish  Government  on 
immigrant integration, aiming to promote the participation and 
integration  of  immigrants  into  Spanish  society  by  proposing, 
informing, and channeling actions towards these goals. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

32 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The  Barcelona  Municipal  Immigration  Council  (CMIB)  is  a 
voluntary  consultative  participatory  body  at  Barcelona  City 
Council.  It  is  made  up  of  migrant  and  host  entities  and 
associations,  social  officers,  municipal  political  groups  and 
observers keen to have an impact on their social, cultural and 
political  environment  and  to  ensure  immigrants  can  exercise 
full citizenship. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Andalusia’s  Forum  for  the  Social  Integration  of  Immigrants 
involves  various 
operates  at 
stakeholders, 
the 
development and implementation of integration policies. 

immigrant  organisations, 

the 
including 

level  and 

regional 

in 

Sweden 

The  Cooperation  organisation  for  immigrant  associations  in 
Uppsala  (Samarbetsorganisationen  för  Invandrarföreningar  i 
Uppsala, SIU) is a well-established non-profit association that 
convenes meetings of migrant organisations in the 4th largest 
city of Sweden and supports them in communicating with the 
Municipality  of  Uppsala.  SIU  played  an  important  role  in 
advocating  for  the  needs  and  rights  of  socio-economically 
vulnerable immigrant groups during the COVID-19 pandemic, 
in particular. 

The  AMIF-funded  project  CONSULTING  EUTH  ran  from  1 
January 2022 - 31 December 2023. The objective of the project 
was  to  support  the setting  up  of consultative  bodies  of  youth 
migrants at local and EU level in close cooperation with public 
authorities,  aiming  at  involving  youth  migrants/refugees  in 
active  political  life  and  co-designing  policies  addressed  to 
migrants  and  refugees.  Sweden’s  project  implementation 
partner  was  Halmstad  University,  which  developed  a 
conceptual  framework  of  impact  and  results  indicators  for 
tracking the outcomes of the project. 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and 
legislation) 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Consultation on policy needs and 
gaps 

Other examples of good practices in the participatory involvement – such as via advisory boards 
or  committees,  intercultural  expert  groups,  citizen  bodies,  participatory  processes,  etc.  -  of 
migrants/migrant organisations and in specific policy areas. 

Belgium 

Arab Women's Solidarity Association Belgium (AWSA) is a secular organisation that advocates for 
the  rights  of  women  from  the  Arab  world.  It  seeks  to  challenge  stereotypes  and  build  bridges 
between  cultures,  promoting  peace,  equality,  and  justice.  AWSA  operates  across  several  key 
areas,  including  feminist  advocacy  for  women's  rights,  both  in  their  countries  of  origin  and  in 
Belgium. Notably, AWSA organises numerous training sessions for the stakeholders in charge of 
implementing  public  policies  and  regularly  publishes  opinion  pieces  in  the  media.  During  the 
COVID-19 pandemic it worked to highlight inequalities in access to sexual and reproductive health 
services. 

Bulgaria 

Refugee  Advisory  Board:  initially  developed  by  the  UNHCR  to  strengthen  advocacy  efforts  in 
various  focus  areas  (education,  housing,  employment,  health  care,  etc.),  the  board  is  now  an 
independent NGO which often participates in EU-level consultations. 

33 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Czechia 

In the town of Pardubice the working group "Foreigners, Minorities, and People at Risk of Social 
Exclusion",  which  includes  NGOs  working  with  migrants,  participated  in  the  preparation  of  the 
current community plan (2021-2025). It proposed individual measures in specific policy areas, and 
monitors and evaluates the implementation of these measures on an ongoing basis. 

Denmark 

Several non-profit social housing companies have been successful in involving the residents (of 
which many have ethnic minority background) when trying to improve their local residential area – 
improving living conditions and attracting more inhabitants. 

Finland 

Moniheli, the national umbrella organisation for migrant organisations, organises 'Katto' activities 
to prevent migrant homelessness and conducts advocacy work at the regional level to promote 
policies that prevent migrant homelessness. 

The  Paloma  project,  AMIF-funded,  promotes  mental  health  care  for  refugees.  It  has  consulted 
refugees and professionals working with them in order to establish needs and good practices in 
mental health support, and published the Paloma handbook for decision-makers and practitioners. 
It also established the Centre of Expertise on refugee mental health, which is now coordinated by 
Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare. 

France 

The Conseil des Résidents Etrangers de Montpellier (Montpellier Council of Foreign Residents) 
gives exiles a place to feel welcome, to express their views and to play an active part in local life. 
Its  aims  include  facilitating  consultation  and  cooperation  between  foreigners  and  the  city  of 
Montpellier, and continuing to press for the right of non-EU foreigners to vote in local elections. 

Toulouse Diversités - Conseil Toulousain des résidents étrangers is a participative body that gives 
a voice to foreign residents of Toulouse. All residents of Toulouse who have lived in the city for 
five years are eligible for membership, regardless of whether they are foreign nationals, naturalised 
French citizens or of foreign origin. The consultative body has 20 members. 

Germany 

EMV-LII  (AMIF-funded):  The  EMVI  project  focuses  on  promoting  the  political  participation  of 
migrants, especially women, in Austria, Germany, Greece, Italy and Slovenia. The project supports 
migrants through training and develops innovative participation tools such as an e-participation 
platform. It also strengthens the capacities of local authorities and offers good practice guides and 
online  learning  modules  to  promote  exchange  and  inclusion.  The  aim  is  to  involve  migrants  in 
policy-making and strengthen their integration into society. 

PISTE  -  Improving civic  and  integration  policies  in  European  towns  (AMIF-funded):  The PISTE 
project  aims  to  improve  the  quality  of  civic  and  integration  policies  in  small  and  medium-sized 
towns  (SMTs).  By  involving  migrants  in  the  design,  implementation  and  evaluation  of  these 
policies,  their  participation  is  promoted.  The  project  involves  partnerships  between  academic 
institutions, municipalities  and  NGOs  in  Belgium,  Germany,  Greece  and  Italy.  Activities  include 
evidence-based policy design, co-design workshops, and the testing of local measures. 

SHAPE  -  SHaring  Actions  for  the  Participation and  Empowerment  of migrant communities  and 
Local Authorities (AMIF-funded): The SHAPE project focusses on the participation of migrants in 
democratic  processes  and  in  the  design  and  implementation  of  integration  policies  at  various 
levels. It focuses on so-called border states such as Italy, Hungary and Croatia, where the opinion 
towards  migrants  is  very  negative,  as  well  as  Germany  and  Portugal,  which  are  considered 
exemplary in terms of migrant participation in the democratic process. 

Greece 

The @nclusion:Fostering inclusion of LGBTQI+ migrants at local level project, run by the Greek 
Forum of Migrants 

The Athens Coordination Center for Migrant and Refugee Issues (ACCMR) consults at the local 
level on integration needs of migrants and refugees in Athens. 

34 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Hungary 

Some municipalities - where numbers of resident migrants are high - in Budapest organise English-
language community  forums wherein participants can ask questions  and make  suggestions  on 
various  policies  and  programmes.  (See  https://terezvaros.hu/hirek/ami-osszekot-terezvaros  and 
https://jozsefvaros.hu/english/news-in-the-district/2023/12/community-forum-in-english-for-
foreigners-living-in-jozsefvaros/) 

The  AMIF-funded,  EU-wide  SHAPE  project,  implemented  in  Hungary  by  partner  organisation 
Artemisszió Foundation, provided training for municipality decision-makers on migrant integration 
and participation. Following this, changes were made to local equal opportunities plans. 

Ireland 

The Ethnic Minority Domestic Abuse Observatory - made up of NGOs and individuals supporting 
migrant  victims  of  domestic  violence  -  meets  regularly  with  Dept  of  Justice  officials,  raising 
individual cases and wider policy concerns. 

Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE) established a Migrant Health Unit which engages directly 
with migrant communities and organisations to ensure equitable healthcare access for migrants. 

Several  local  employment  services  (LES)  include  ‘Migrant  Advisory  Committees’  that  assist  in 
developing and implementing employment services tailored explicitly to migrant job seekers. 

Italy 

Consultation of DG Immigration and Integration on the draft of the multiannual strategy on work 
and  integration:  this  consultation  involved  more  than  100  organisations,  some  of  them  migrant 
organisations (such as CONGI and the Somalian Community of Turin). The consultancy focused 
on  the  issue  of  labour  integration.  In  order  to  make  the  process  accessible  to  associations  of 
migrants and youth with migrant background, three ad-hoc online meetings were organised. This 
consultative  process  highlighted  both  the  potential  offered  by  online  meetings  to  increase  the 
participatory  dimension  of  decision-making  and  the  need  to  maintain  flexibility  in  consultative 
processes so as not to exclude the less structured entities. 

Participatory involvement of migrant associations in the co-design, establishment and activities of 
the local anti-discrimination service of the Municipality of Bologna: The service was set up by the 
Municipality  in  2016.  It  was  renewed  in  2018  following  a  co-design  project  with  several 
associations that promote the rights of migrants, the Islamic Community of Bologna and migrant 
associations  (representing  in  particular  the  Algerian,  Moroccan,  Vietnamese  and  Filipino 
communities). Since then, the anti-discrimination service has been run in collaboration with the 
associations involved in the co-design of the tool. 

Lithuania 

In 2022 the Ministry of Education, municipalities and other governmental agencies organised many 
ad-hoc meetings with Ukrainian refugee leaders to understand the needs of arriving refugees and 
how to best respond to their early integration needs. 

Luxembourg  Ronnen Desch organises a round table event twice a year for NGOs, municipalities, ministries, 
and public administrations to exchange good practices in integration. So far these have led to two 
major initiatives: the CUSS healthcare initiative for migrants and other vulnerable groups, and the 
"myrights" multilingual online public platform. 

Migrant organisations such as CLAE and ASTI publish their recommendations to political parties 
during election campaigns, and these are consulted by policymakers. 

Netherlands  The Diversity and Inclusion Platform at Utrecht University medical centre aims to make education 
and health care more diverse and inclusive through the establishment of diversity networks and 
boards to include the perspective of minority groups and migrants. 

35 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
The Dutch Council for Refugees (VluchtelingenWerk Nederland) actively involves refugees and 
asylum seekers in advocacy and policy development. The council shares insights and feedback 
from the perspective of those directly affected by migration policies, particularly in areas such as 
housing, legal support, and social integration. 

Poland 

In September 2024 the Minister of National Education established the 'Team for the Educational 
Integration of Children who are Ukrainian Citizens'. The aim of the team is to facilitate dialogue on 
educational integration policy between representatives of the ministry, schools, other educational 
institutions,  local  authorities  and  NGOs  working  for  migrants,  including  the  Ukrainian  Home 
organisation. 

Portugal 

The AMIF-funded Project Embrace (2022/2023) promoted the co-creation of solutions at the local 
level in conjunction with migrants and migrant organisations. 

The AMIF-funded Project Shape held thematic focus groups in Lisbon with migrant-led institutions 
on housing, health care, and education, training and employment. These led to the publishing of 
policy recommendations in these areas, which were shared with the relevant ministries. 

Sweden 

The Council for Integration in Working Life (Rådet för integration i arbetslivet, Ria) is made up of 
the social partners in the labour market. Ria promotes the integration and participation of migrants, 
including by providing a forum for the exchange of experience and ideas between the different 
organisations. It also draws the attention of authorities and politicians to structures that need to be 
changed, carries out site visits, organises seminars and develops and disseminates information 
and training materials. 

36 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
6.  Conclusion 

Information  and  data,  including  under  the  New  Europeans  Initiative  and  the 
Migrant Integration Policy Index (MIPEX) confirm that the involvement of migrants 
in the definition and implementation of (integration) policies varies greatly across 
the EU. The existence of formal consultative mechanisms specifically designed 
for migrants - including systematic, joint efforts at monitoring and evaluation of 
policies  -  at  local,  regional  or  national  level  is  largely  determined  by  political 
interest  and  available  resources.  Access  to  general  (national)  consultation 
mechanisms  is  not  always  available  to  migrants,  although  targeted  measures 
exist  in  some  countries  to  facilitate  this.  Regularised  exchange  platforms  or 
networks, usually organised by civil society organisations, also attempt to fill this 
gap in many countries. 

Challenges identified across EU Member States include limited representation of 
the  diversity  of  migrant  communities  even  where  migrant  consultations  exist, 
limited (financial) capacity of civil society and migrant-led organisations to initiate 
and sustain consultation mechanisms - or to advocate for the official development 
of  these  at  national  level  -,  and  symbolic  or  tokenistic  use  of  migrant  advisory 
bodies.  Solutions  for  overcoming  these  challenges,  as  demonstrated  by  other 
countries, include increasing structural funding - for all migrant groups - for the 
development and continuation of relevant consultation mechanisms and bodies, 
granting migrants access to general consultation mechanisms in the same way 
as  other  citizens,  and  restructuring  common  approaches  to  policy  design  and 
implementation 
that  migrant  contributions  are  meaningfully 
incorporated into these processes. 

to  ensure 

Most  commonly,  good  practices  successfully  involving  migrants  and  migrant 
organisations in integration policy making and implementation - across all levels 
- in EU Member States tend to be those which entail consultation on policy needs 
and  gaps  (prior  to  draft  policies  and  legislation)  as  well  as  those  which  entail 
monitoring  of  implementation  or  ex-post  evaluation  of  policies.  In  terms  of 
promoting migrants’ participatory involvement - via advisory boards, committees, 
expert groups and so on - in policy development in specific policy areas, good 
practices  often  involve  the  establishment  of  advisory  boards  or  committees  at 
local or regional level. Increased promotion of the participation of migrants in the 
design  and  implementation  of  integration-relevant  policies  would  serve  to 
strengthen  the  inclusivity  of  EU  societies  and,  more  generally,  the  social  and 
political integration of migrants across the EU.

37 

 
 
 
 
 
Getting in touch with the EU 

In person 

All over the European Union there are hundreds of Europe Direct centres. 
You can find the address of the centre nearest you online (european-
union.europa.eu/contact-eu/meet-us_en). 

On the phone or in writing 

Europe Direct is a service that answers your questions about the European 
Union. You can contact this service: 

–  by freephone: 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (certain operators may charge for 

these calls), 

–  at the following standard number: +32 22999696, 
–  via the following form: european-union.europa.eu/contact-eu/write-us_en. 

Finding information about the EU 

Online 

Information about the European Union in all the official languages of the EU is 
available on the Europa website (european-union.europa.eu). 

EU publications 

You can view or order EU publications at op.europa.eu/en/publications. 
Multiple copies of free publications can be obtained by contacting Europe 
Direct or your local documentation centre (european-union.europa.eu/contact-
eu/meet-us_en). 

EU law and related documents 

For access to legal information from the EU, including all EU law since 1951 
in all the official language versions, go to EUR-Lex (eur-lex.europa.eu). 

EU open data 

The portal data.europa.eu provides access to open datasets from the EU 
institutions, bodies and agencies. These can be downloaded and reused for 
free, for both commercial and non-commercial purposes. The portal also 
provides access to a wealth of datasets from European countries. 

 
 
 
 
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