Abstract
Expert opinion and recommendations for the Congress of the Council of Europe.
The report builds on previous Congress texts concerning the reception of refugees and integration of migrants to examine the potential benefits of cross-border co-operation among regions situated on the periphery of Europe or at the borders of countries within Europe. It argues for an “integrated approach”, adequately involving different levels of government, NGOs and partners in countries of origin and transit and underlines that all these stakeholders’ involvement and interconnectedness is crucial for developing effective integration policies. Emphasising the role of local and regional authorities as key players in the network of governance that benefit migrants, the Congress invites them to exploit the potential of European-level networking with regard to integration, and co-operate with other relevant stakeholders(in particular their counterparts in countries of origin and transit). It calls on member States to highlight the need for European solidarity regarding the reception of migrants, to promote an integrated approach to integration including cross-border co-operation at the European level, bring regulatory clarity to the legal framework, and to provide adequate financial coverage to local and regional authorities.