Legal frameworks to promote integration
MIPEX measures policies that promote integration in European societies. Integration in both social and civic terms rests on the concept of equal opportunities for all. In socio-economic terms, migrants must have equal opportunities to lead just as dignified, independent and active lives as the rest of the population. In civic terms, all residents can commit themselves to mutual rights and responsibilities on the basis of equality. When migrants feel secure, confident and welcome, they are able to invest in their new country of residence and make valued contributions to society. Over time, migrants can take up more opportunities to participate, more rights, more responsibilities and, if they wish, full national citizenship.
The process of integration is specific to the needs and abilities of each individual and each local community. Although government policy is only one of a number of factors which affects integration, it is vital because it sets the legal and political framework within which other aspects of integration occur. The state can strive to remove obstacles and achieve equal outcomes and equal membership by investing in the active participation of all, the exercise of comparable rights and responsibilities and the acquisition of intercultural competences.
A bi-annual monitoring exercise
MIPEX aims to be a regular assessment on a widening range of policy areas, critical to a migrant's opportunities to integrate, where an enlarging Union and selected third countries can benefit from benchmarking policies to the highest, newest European standards. This edition focuses on six policy areas: labour market access, family reunion, long-term residence, political participation, access to nationality and anti-discrimination. A number of policy areas cut across the MIPEX strands, such as integration programmes and access to education, healthcare, and housing.
Up to standard
The use of European standards and best practice is vital, given that European cooperation continues to set new standards for active citizenship, and fundamental rights within the Council of Europe and the EU's Common Space of Justice, Freedom and Security. MIPEX measures how close each country's policies come to European standards of best practice. Clear, concise and comparable information open a number of avenues for policymakers and stakeholders to consider how governments can do their best to open opportunities to integrate.
