Celebrating a milestone - EMN impactful contributions spotlights the most influential achievements and contributions from 2018 to 2022

Brussels, 20 December 2023
 

In honour of the 15-anniversary, EMN has compiled a document spotlighting its most influential achievements and contributions from 2018 to 2022 at both EU and national levels, underscoring the network's ongoing commitment to addressing complex challenges related to migration and asylum.

As outlined in the document, the EMN played a crucial role in collecting information on the activation of the Temporary Protection Directive following the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The EMN also responded promptly in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic by flexibly adapting its work programme priorities and reaching out to relevant stakeholders, such as the OECD, to meet emerging needs. This resulted in the publication of five COVID-centred informs that assisted the European Commission and Member states in their decision-making during that specific period.

Among the core activities that have shaped and made the EMN, the production of studies and informs on specific migration and asylum topics covering both topical and long-term subjects have provided significant value to members. These publications serve a twofold purpose: they disseminate relevant information to the general public and function as valuable resources for policymakers at both the national and EU levels.

The EMN impactful contribution document highlights key developments where these publications have played a crucial role in informing and shaping policies. An example is the Irish national contribution to the study on "Migratory Pathways for Start-ups and innovative entrepreneurs" which was used by Irish policymakers as part of their review of the existing Start-Up and Entrepreneurs Programme for non-EEA entrepreneurs. Another example is the 2020 EMN study "Attracting and Protecting the Rights of Seasonal Workers in the EU and the UK" which was used for background research in Ireland when exploring the introduction of an employment permit for seasonal work. In the Slovak Republic, the study was used as a source of information to develop the national Labour Mobility Scheme.

These publications draw their information from the EMN Ad-Hoc Queries (AHQ), a tool that collects data from EMN Members and Observer Countries, at the request of any member of the network or the European Commission. This tool has proved extremely efficient in numerous occasions, as demonstrated by the urgent AHQ launched by Finland in 2022, on behalf of the Ministry of Interior on the topic of border procedures. Given the volatile geopolitical situation of that period, this AHQ was particularly important, as the Government was aiming to promptly present a legislative proposal to the Parliament. The information gathered through the EMN Ad-Hoc Query was then explicitly acknowledged in the Government proposal itself.  

Another example outlined in the document involves amendments to Latvia's Immigration Law, which were a response to an Ad-Hoc Query on nomad visas. After undergoing consideration by decision-makers in the Ministry of Interior and informing public debates, the amendments consequently introduced remote work visas to promote the migration of highly qualified professionals to the country.

As the EMN marks its 15-year milestone, the expanding network, with recent additions including Ukraine, Montenegro and Armenia in 2022, and Serbia in 2023 reinforces its commitment and amplifies its strength in information sharing. Its continued growth highlights EMN's pivotal role in supporting finding solutions to the challenges within the migration landscape.

For more  information regarding the EMN's work between 2008 and 2017, the EMN has produced a comprehensive 10-year report.