Task Force on migrant integration launched in Greece

In the beginning of 2024, following a proposal by the European Commission, the Greek government launched a Task Force on Integration. The Task Force is set up to ensure that non-EU nationals are fully integrated into their host society.  

Integration is a multidisciplinary issue, where responsibility rests with public authorities and institutions, social and economic partners, host communities and migrants. The Task Force has set out several objectives: from facilitating cooperation between national and local authorities to ensuring a more efficient use of EU funding. This approach aims at developing early integration measures, improving access to the labour market, and providing more comprehensive information to non-EU nationals on their rights and available resources.  

The Task Force on Integration has adopted a collaborative and multi-stakeholder approach bringing together all the relevant ministries of Greece and the European Commission. Focal points have been appointed for more hands-on deliberation on different policy areas. For instance, issues on social welfare and housing will be coordinated between the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family and the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.  

While responsibility for integration policies is a national competence, the Commission plays a key role in supporting EU countries, as well as local and regional authorities, to address challenges and promote inclusive policies. A successful integration and inclusion policy is essential to a well-managed and effective migration and asylum system, as emphasised in the newly adopted Pact on Migration and Asylum. It is essential for social cohesion and for a dynamic economy that works for all, benefitting both the individuals concerned and the local communities into which they integrate.  

In its efforts to promote integration, Greece has appointed a Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum responsible for the integration of non-EU nationals and the National Strategy on Integration. The Commission has pledged to further support the Task Force and national efforts to promote non-EU citizen’s access to the labour market and social inclusion, under the European Social Fund (ESF+) and the Asylum Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF), for the programming period 2021-2027.