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Original Language
English
Number of Pages
39
Reference Number
PUB2020/047/R
Date of upload

08 Jul 2020

European Cities on the Front Line: New and emerging governance models for migrant inclusion

The rapid surge in mixed migration in 2015-2016 thrust many local authorities across Europe into emergency mode, forcing them to find ways to address the needs of vulnerable groups, including refugees with a range of physical and mental-health conditions and unaccompanied children. Often, localities faced these challenges amidst tight budgets, existing pressures on housing and labour markets, and intensified public scrutiny of and political polarization around migration and integration policies. This report – developed in partnership with the Migration Policy Institute in the frame of the project ADMin4ALL – explores how local administrations across Europe have navigated providing migrants and refugees access to public services and supporting their broader inclusion. It focuses on cities and smaller towns in Southern as well as Central and Eastern Europe that are facing particularly difficult situations, such as high levels of spontaneous arrivals, restrictive national policies, strained economies, limited integration experience, and a weak and/or thinly spread service infrastructure. It also includes recommendations on how to make the most of local governance levers to optimize integration outcomes in the face of various constraints.

  • Executive Summary
  • 1 Introduction
  • 2 Common Roadblocks to Inclusive Local Communities
    • A. Access to housing
    • B. Access to local labour markets
    • C. Access to education and child care
    • D. Access to health care and mental health services
    • E. What governance choices are behind these challenges?
  • 3 Local Policy Approaches: How can cities tackle integration governance challenges?
    • A. Defining target groups
    • B. Improving coordination and collaboration within the municipality
    • C. Pursuing a multi-stakeholder strategy
    • D. Designing inclusive services
    • E. Improving migrant representation
  • 4 Conclusions and Recommendations
  • About the Author
  • Acknowledgements