News

On 3 December 2020, representatives from forced-return monitoring bodies and return enforcing institutions from 21 European countries, the Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) gathered during a remote Thematic Workshop on Children in Forced-Return Operations. ICMPD and FRA jointly organised the workshop within the framework of the Forced-Return Monitoring III (FReM III) project. The aim was to enhance the monitors’ knowledge and capacities in monitoring forced-return operations where children are present.

The African Union Commission on Thursday, signed a MoU with the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) to enhance existing cooperation on Migration and mobility governance between the two organisations. The MoU was signed by H.E. Mrs Amira ElFadil, Commissioner for Social Affairs on behalf of the Chairperson of the AU Commission, H.E. Moussa Faki Mohamet, while Director General, Mr. Michael Spindelegger, signed on behalf of ICMPD.

The programme, funded by the European Union and implemented by the ICMPD, supports EU Member States and the European Neighbourhood Instrument Southern Partner Countries (ENI SPCs) in establishing a comprehensive, constructive and operational dialogue and co-operation framework on migration, with a particular focus on reinforcing instruments and capacities to develop and implement evidence-based migration policies.

Baghdad, Iraq: With the support of the European Union and co-funding from Norway, and drawing on its extensive experience in setting up, operating and developing such Migrant Resource Centres (MRCs) in Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan, the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) is able to utilise this knowledge and experience in cooperation with the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for the benefit of Iraqi citizens.

Today, the world celebrates the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery. The day marks 71 years from the adoption of the United Nations Convention for the Suppression of the Traffic in Persons and of the Exploitation of the Prostitution of Others (resolution 317(IV) from 2 December 1949).

Free movement in the Schengen area is a key achievement of EU integration. The Schengen evaluation and monitoring mechanism (SEMM) is important to ensuring the trust among Member States that is fundamental for the removal of internal borders. ICMPD has assessed the current approach in a new report.

From 16-19 November 2020, ICMPD hosted the Vienna Migration Conference entitled "Schengen, asylum reform and Europe’s migration diplomacy: Has COVID-19 changed everything?" The conference took place in an online production adapted especially for the pandemic and hosted a record number of participants.

From 23 to 27 November 2020, European Union experts jointly with the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) and the State Customs Service (SCS) of Ukraine completed the second field assessment mission to the border crossing points (BCPs) in Ukraine. The mission is the second activity on the spot to analyse the control processes and procedures at BCPs and is a part of wider activities of the EU-funded project "EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management in Ukraine (EU4IBM)" implemented by ICMPD.

The 3rd International Border Management Conference took place on 23-24 November, 2020. Organised by ICMPD, sponsored by the European Union via several EU-financed projects, the event welcomed numerous high-level speakers. More than 250 participants from over 50 countries followed the two-day conference remotely in four different languages.

On 17-19 November 2020, ICMPD organised two trainings on the important topics of consular crisis management and migration governance. Respectively the two events took place under the framework of the EU-funded project "Strategic and Institutional Management of Migration in Libya".

On 24 November 2020, ICMPD organised the fourth project steering group (PSG) meeting in the framework of the EU-funded project Forced-Return Monitoring III (FReM III).

On 20 November 2020, the State Border Guard Service (SBGS) and State Customs Service (SCS) of Ukraine completed two-day training on "Monitoring, evaluation and quality management" organized under the EU-funded project "EU Support to Strengthening Integrated Border Management (IBM) in Ukraine (EU4IBM)" implemented by ICMPD.

The Forced-Return Monitoring III (FReM III) project just released a report on the Assessment of the Day-to-Day Operations and Management of the Pool of Forced-Return Monitors at Frontex. The assessment was based on a multi-method study.

The signing ceremony of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Mixed Migration Centre (MMC) and the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) took place in a virtual meeting on 19 November 2020. This step will contribute to strengthening the ongoing cooperation.

A new cooperation framework between ICMPD and the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) enhances and facilitates effective cooperation on matters related to asylum and migration management between the two long-standing partners.