News
Four innovative projects launched to further boost migrant inclusion
26 June 2023
Paris / Brussels - The European Commission’s Directorate General for Home Affairs (DG HOME) and the Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) are launching four education and employment projects in support of migrant inclusion. Implemented in Belgium, Finland, Italy and the Netherlands, the new projects will pilot innovative forms of financing and new partnerships between public and private bodies and civil society organisations.
The four projects have collectively received approximately EUR 2.6 million in EU financing from the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) 2021-2027 and are part of a wider initiative known as Partnerships and Financing for Migrant Inclusion (PAFMI). The projects complement past and current loan agreements with the CEB, and open the opportunity to explore potential new ones, in support of wider social investment and infrastructure.
CEB Vice-Governor Sandrine Gaudin said: “The CEB is delighted to work with DG HOME and the four project promoters on testing innovative approaches to migrant inclusion in Europe. This initiative is yet another example of the type of joint initiatives we have undertaken with the European Commission - our largest donor - for the benefit of the most vulnerable. The four projects are fully aligned with our historic mandate to help refugees, migrants and displaced people, and we are looking forward to seeing the first results in one year’s time.”
DG HOME Deputy Director General Beate Gminder said: “Integration and inclusion of non-EU nationals into our societies benefit both migrants and local communities. In line with the Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion 2021-2027, the European Commission is funding innovative projects like the ones launched today to facilitate integration into local communities. The EU’s funding improves lives of people and creates employment opportunities in the EU. The initiatives financed under PAFMI are designed to meet the specific needs of migrants and can inspire EU Member States to explore the use of financial instruments in combination with traditional grants. This approach holds the potential to triple the value of every euro spent as it not only leverages additional funding but also enables the reuse of limited public resources, capitalising on the cyclical nature of financial instruments.”
In Belgium, MicroStart and the Brussels Business Support Agency-Hub will help non-EU country nationals set up their own businesses in the Brussels region, through awareness-raising and coaching as well as through the provision of financing.
In Finland, the municipality of Väntää and the Laurea University of Applied Sciences will assist migrant families in the Helsinki metropolitan region with accessing employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, education and training.
In Italy, a multi-stakeholder partnership of local authorities, civil society and private organisations led by the Associazione Microlab will improve the employability and increase self-employment of non-EU citizens, including by setting up their own businesses through microfinance.
In the Netherlands, Qredits, the Dutch Council for Refugees and the Dutch Chamber of Commerce will provide migrants with information and training on entrepreneurship and facilitate access to micro-credit to start their own businesses.
Implementation of the projects is expected to be completed by December 2024. More than 3 000 migrants will benefit from the projects’ activities.
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Launched jointly by the CEB and DG HOME in 2021, PAFMI is an initiative aimed at promoting the inclusion of migrants at the local and regional level in countries that are both EU and CEB members. The initiative fosters strategic partnerships of key local entities and specifically targets areas which are vital for the integration of migrants into the societies of host countries, namely community building, education, employment, and access to finance. More information on PAFMI can be found here.
AMIF aims to boost national capacities and improve procedures for migration management, as well as enhancing solidarity and responsibility sharing between Member States. The Fund’s resources amount to EUR 9.88 billion for the 2021-2027 period. More information on AMIF can be found here: Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (2021-2027) (europa.eu).
The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) is a multilateral development bank whose unique mission is to promote social cohesion throughout Europe. The CEB finances investment in social sectors, including education, health and affordable housing, with a focus on the needs of vulnerable people. Borrowers include governments, local and regional authorities, public and private banks, non-profit organisations and others. As a multilateral bank with an excellent credit rating, the CEB funds itself on the international capital markets. It approves projects according to strict social, environmental and governance criteria, and provides technical assistance. In addition, the CEB receives funds from donors to complement its activities.
The CEB has 43 member states. It was established originally as a refugee fund in 1956 by eight of the 15 member states that made up the Council of Europe at the time. The CEB is Europe’s oldest multilateral development bank, and is legally and financially separate from the Council of Europe.