Press Releases

MEMO/12/399

Brussels, 1 June 2012

Financial assistance to non-EU countries in the area of migration and mobility

Since 2005 approximately 300 migration-related projects in non-EU countries have been funded under various EU external relations financial instruments, amounting to a value of € 800 million. EU support is provided through many stakeholders, including civil society organisations, migrant associations, international organisations and third countries state agencies (some past examples: MEMO/11/801).

The renewed 'Global Approach to Migration and Mobility' (GAMM), adopted by the Commission in November 2011 further strengthens dialogue and operational cooperation with non-EU partner countries in the area of migration and mobility (IP/11/1369 and MEMO/11/800).

Financial assistance will remain an important aspect of such reinforced cooperation.

What is being done?

A considerable number of new projects for a total amount of approximately €75 million have been approved by the Commission in 2011 covering a wide range of migration related areas. The following are just a few examples:

Migration EU eXpertise II (MIEUX II)

EC contribution: €4.5 million | Project period: 2012-2014

MIEUX II is an entirely EU funded facility which provides for short-term capacity building to third countries in all areas of migration including: - irregular migration; - migration and development, asylum and refugees; -and legal migration. MIEUX deploys experts from EU Member States to support partner countries' administrations and regional organisations in managing migration more effectively and to facilitate the transfer of expertise and knowledge.

In January 2012 MIEUX entered its second phase, after three successful years during which technical assistance was implemented in over 60 countries worldwide.

While the first phase was focused on the fight against irregular migration, in this second phase the scope of the project has been broadened to include all areas of migration management, thus better matching the needs from third countries. Assistance in drafting legislation and developing national strategies and action plans, support for data collection and harmonisation, the organisation of study visits, conferences, workshops and trainings are among the actions foreseen under MIEUX II.

MIEUX is implemented through a joint management agreement with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD): www.icmpd.org/mieux

Better managing the mobility of health professionals in the Republic of Moldova

EC contribution: €2 million | Project period: 2012-2014

The overall objective of this entirely EU funded action is to strengthen the capacity of the Republic of Moldova to manage the migration/mobility of Moldovan health professionals.

The project has been developed in the framework of the EU-Moldova Mobility Partnership signed in 2008 and is implemented by the World Health Organisation.

In partnership with the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Moldova, the project will expand the information and knowledge base on the migration of Moldovan health professionals. It will promote the circular migration of Moldovan health workers, addressing the negative effects of the brain drain and brain waste on the Moldovan health system and facilitating the reintegration of health workers returning to the Republic of Moldova.

The project will develop activities such as reviewing existing data and information on health professional migration, identifying opportunities for legal employment of Moldovan health professionals in EU health institutions, facilitating the preparation, signing and implementation of bilateral agreements between the Republic of Moldova and EU host countries.

Creating a migration observatory focused on Eastern Europe (CARIM 4)

EC contribution: €1.8 million | Project period: 2012-2013

Co-funded by the EU and implemented by the European University Institute this project aims to: (i) provide researchers, practitioners, policy-makers, media professionals, and other stakeholders with reliable information and analyses on migration in, through and from the regions to the East of Europe; (ii) gather high-level regional expertise on migration to the East of Europe; and (iii) connect experts and policymakers to develop more informed approaches to policy making and to better tailor policies to achieve practical outcomes.

To achieve those objectives the project will: (i) develop up-to-date information on the demographic, economic, legal and political dimensions of migration in the region; (ii) conduct research on migration-related topics regarded as priorities by partner governments and the EU; (iii) set up a framework for regular consultation among experts; (iv) provide a venue for informal discussion among policy-makers and experts on migration-related issues in the region.

The project covers all countries of the Eastern Partnership initiative (Belarus, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Georgia, Armenia and Azerbaijan) and Russian Federation: http://www.carim-east.eu/

Supporting the implementation of Regional Protection Programmes

Overall EC contribution: €11.6 million | 2011-2013

Regional Protection Programmes (RPPs) support countries from specific regions outside the EU to better protect refugees and asylum seekers who enter, transit or stay on their territories.

Developed in close cooperation with UNHCR and the relevant third countries, RPPs consist of practical actions to: - support the capacity to identify, screen and assist refugees residing in the countries; - prepare their resettlement and; - give assistance to the countries' authorities in shaping their asylum system.

The EU has already provided support to the development of Regional Protection Programmes in Eastern Europe (covering Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine), the region of the Great Lakes in Africa (Tanzania) and the region of the Horn of Africa (Djibouti, Kenya and Yemen).

In 2011 the European Commission approved the financing for a new batch of Regional Protection Programmes in Northeast Africa (Egypt, Lybia and Tunisia), for a total amount of €3.6 million. It also gave its green light to the financing of the second phase of the existing Regional Protection Programmes, respectively €1.5 million for the RPP in Eastern Europe, €1.5 million for the RPP in Tanzania and €5 million for the RPP in the Horn of Africa.

Specific assistance to the Southern Mediterranean countries

Overall EC contribution: €26.7 million | 2011-2014

In 2011 the European Commission also approved a set of measures to reinforce the Southern Mediterranean countries' capacities in the area of migration, mobility and security.

In addition to the RPP in Northeast Africa (€3.6 million) other initiatives amounting to around €23.1 million include:

• An approximately €10 million project to assist migrants in Libya affected by the civil war as well as the Libyan authorities to build up a sound and fair migration management system (implemented by IOM);

• A €1.6 million project promoting assisted voluntary return of migrants - mostly from sub-Saharan Africa - stranded in Libya (implemented by IOM);

• A €5 million project promoting dialogue and exchange of best practices, including through trainings, in the areas of labour migration, irregular migration and migration and development, to all Southern Mediterranean countries (EUROMED Migration III is implemented by a consortium of organisations led by ICMPD);

• A €5 million project promoting dialogue and exchange of best practices, including through trainings, in the areas of fight against organised crime, police cooperation and security sector reform to all Southern Mediterranean countries (EUROMED Police III will be implemented by a consortium of organisations led by Civipol);

• A €1.5 million contribution to a project assisting national employment agencies of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia to develop their capacities to support potential emigrants and to cooperate with the employment agencies of EU Member States (to be implemented by a consortium of organisations led by Pôle Emploi)

What will happen next?

Such financial assistance to non-EU countries will be pursued in 2012. Several initiatives are in preparation and will be launched, such as:

• A €3 million project to enhance the cooperation in the area of migration and asylum between the EU and countries in Eastern Europe, Southern Caucasus, Central Asia, and Russia. This project will support the implementation of the Prague Process and its Action Plan, providing the partner states with an open, flexible and structured framework for consultations, capacity building and concrete actions. Gathering information and data, organising experts' missions, establishing National Contact Point Networks, as well as other field activities are part of the practical cooperation promoted by this project (To be implemented by a consortium led by the Ministry of Interior of Poland).

• A €3 million project aiming to strengthen Armenia's migration management capacities, with special focus on reintegration activities. Activities will support the competent authorities and the civil society in Armenia to ensure long term reintegration of returnees, facilitate opportunities for legal migration and strengthen the positive impact of migration on Armenia's social development. (To be implemented in the framework of the EU-Armenia Mobility Partnership by a consortium led by France's Office Français pour l'Immigration et l'Intégration).

• A €2 million project promoting legal mobility between EU and Moldova. Activities will support Moldovan authorities, in particular the National Employment Agency and the Ministry of Labour, Social Protection and Family, in managing return migration and supporting social and economic reintegration of Moldovan citizens who return to their home country. Information on the possibilities of working and living legally in the EU will be provided and the role of the Moldovan Diaspora Associations will also be reinforced. (To be implemented by a consortium led by the Swedish Public Employment Service).

• Support will also be provided to many migration related projects selected through the call for proposals 2011-2012 of the Thematic Programme Migration and Asylum: a total amount of €74 million is available for projects: (a) fostering the links between migration and development; (b) promoting well-managed labour migration; (c) preventing and curbing irregular immigration and facilitating the readmission of illegal immigrants; (d) protecting migrants, including those most vulnerable such as women and children against exploitation and exclusion; (e) promoting asylum and international protection.

The selected projects will be known by the end of 2012.