Commissioner Johansson at the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs (LIBE) and the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

The Commissioner presented yesterday the action plan on integration and inclusion 2021-2027 in the European Parliament LIBE Committee. The action plan promotes inclusion for all, recognising the important contribution of migrants to the EU and addressing the barriers that can hinder their participation and inclusion in European society. It is built on the principle that inclusive integration requires efforts from both migrants and the host community and includes new actions that build on the achievements of the previous action plan from 2016.

Commissioner Johansson said “The Covid-19 crisis opened our eyes to the fact that migrants are already part of “us”, not “them”. We can’t fight the virus without migrants. And our economies will not recover without migrants. However, even before the pandemic, it was more difficult for migrants to get a job, education or access to essential services. The action plan seeks to address these challenges and empower the most vulnerable in society while building a society which is cohesive and based on shared values.”

Later in the afternoon, the Commissioner participated in a debate on the new Pact on Migration and Asylum at the EESC. Discussion focused on the EESC’s proposals for solutions on a number of divisive issues, as also reported in EESC’s opinion on the new Pact. During the debate, the Commissioner addressed EESC concerns regarding irregular migration and stepping up returns of those who do not have the right to asylum and fighting against people smugglers. Commissioner Johansson also emphasised the importance of solidarity between Member States and investing into legal pathways to support integration and inclusion of migrants into our societies.

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