EPIM - The Project

The question of how best to integrate migrants is a central policy challenge faced by each Member State throughout the Europe Union, and continues to be one of the priority areas of concern for the EU. In spite of the increasing focus by governments on the importance of economic migration, linked directly to labour shortages and demographic trends in Europe, there is increasing evidence of xenophobia and racism in our societies. The European context is marked by a serious backlash in attitudes against immigration and a tendency by politicians to foster the ‘fortress Europe' by multiplying legal obstacles for migration.

At a time when there is so much questioning, fear and insecurity - generating difficult conditions to achieve effective integration - it is essential to encourage positive public attitudes toward investment in integration policies.

A related NEF programme, the European Citizens' Panel, sought to provide a platform for voices of European Citizens in shaping the future European agenda. In consultations with panels of around 1800 citizens from 27 Member states, the question of the integration of migrants emerged as one of the top three concerns shared by citizens throughout the Union. There was widespread support for a pan-European response to immigration and integration issues, and for the EU to make greater use of tools such as development aid to tackle the root causes of migration.

The European Year of Intercultural Dialogue 2008, the EU programme on "Solidarity and Management of Migration Flows", and several other initiatives demonstrate that migration and integration is a priority for the European Institutions. EPIM will complement existing European Funds by focusing on a broad range of integration-related issues and by adopting a broad definition of ‘migrants', including legally residing and undocumented migrants, asylum seekers and refugees.

As was the case in its first phase, EPIM will continue to reference the Common Basic Principles as benchmarks guiding its grant making programme (although it will not be limited to the scope of the CBPs alone).

Within this European context, EPIM's mission and main objective are based on two building blocks:

to open up debate and encourage broader commitment to the development of constructive integration policies at the EU level and to promote effective linking of these policies with those of Member States at both the national, regional and local levels; and
to engage the widest possible range of stakeholders in society in this process with a view also to embedding constructive integration policies and practices in other social and economic programmes.

to build stronger cooperation between foundations active in this field so as to secure much greater impact from their work through pooling of ideas and know-how and also greater European-wide visibility of their distinctive contributions; and
to create a clearing-house of good innovative practices and initiatives so as to facilitate the transfer of experience between foundations in a transnational European perspective with a special concern to illustrate to a wide public practical measures which can make a real difference.

Intended outcomes

By acting simultaneously in national contexts and at European level, the aim is to achieve much greater impact.

The grants fund aims at making NGOs stronger so that they can:

network with key players, including foundations;
organise "go & see" activities to enrich their action methods and policy analyses within a European perspective (which can in turn be fed in conferences);
organise training programmes designed to enhance the ability to boost their impact.

Outcomes for foundations include:

an opportunity to build cooperation between foundations active in this field and to give much greater European-wide visibility to their contribution;
access to high-level expertise on the current state of play of EU migration and integration policymaking;
an opportunity to engage with European researchers, stakeholders and decision-makers working on integration issues, as well as with the National Contact Points set up in Member States;
a way of building on the experience of foundations through cooperation with foundations in other EU countries; and
an opportunity to put the spotlight on and thus influence the future EU policy in the migration and integration field, and to open up wider participation in Member States in developing positive integration policies.