How does MIPEX 'measure' policies?

Methodology

The second edition of MIPEX provides a snapshot of the policy situation as stood on 1 March 2007

Directives and conventions

For each strand or policy area, MIPEX identifies the highest European standards on the most relevant policies. Some of these standards are contained in EC Directives, which EU Member States are obliged to transpose into their national laws (see box below). Others come from Council of Europe Conventions that ratifying countries have committed to implement.

Higher standards
Where Directives and Conventions only provide minimum standards or allow numerous derogations, MIPEX turns to higher standards of best practice: EC Presidency Conclusions, proposals for EC Directives put forward by European-wide stakeholders, or the policy recommendations of comprehensive comparable European research projects. These reference points often capture the principles and dynamics behind policy improvement across Europe and have set the terms of legal and policy debates.

Normative framework
The combined set of the highest European standards serve as MIPEX's normative framework. 140 policy indicators are designed to benchmark current laws and policies against these highest European standards.

What are policy indicators?
A policy indicator is a question relating to a very specific policy component of one of the six strands. For each, the normative framework is translated into three answer options. The maximum of 3 points is awarded when real policies meet best practice, set to the MIPEX normative framework. A score of 2 is given when policies lie halfway to best practice, and a score of 1 when they are furthest from best practice and thus unfavourable. Scores of 1 and 2 are given for rephrased versions of the more restrictive provisions of EC Directives or of national practice.

Example

  • Strand: Family Reunion
  • Dimension: Eligibility
  • Indicator: Eligibility for sponsor's spouse and registered partner

    3 points = Both are eligible. No conditions apply (EC Directive on the right to family reunification, Ch. II, Article 4, 5)
    2 points = Spouses only (EC Directive on the right to family reunification, Ch. II, Article 4, 1(a) and 3
    1 point   = Age limits or other conditions apply (ILPA/MPG Proposed Directive on family reunion, Ch. II, Article 6.1)

In certain cases where a country has no policies (i.e. no guarantee, no protection, no entitlement) on a specific indicator, it is given a default value of 1. Within each of the six policy areas, the indicators are grouped into four dimensions which examine the same aspect of policy.

Data-gathering
The indicators were designed through a series of expert consultations and later scrutinised and approved by MIPEX's Scientific Advisory Committee. In every country, a national correspondent scored each indicator based on the country's policies as of 1 March 2007. These scores were then peer-reviewed by a second correspondent. Both are leading independent scholars or practitioners of migration law in their country.

In the case of discrepancies between responses, MPG moderated deliberations between the national correspondent and peer reviewer. The completed questionnaires were reviewed by the research partners for consistency across strands and countries and over time. A country receives a 1-3 score on each indicator (certain questions were aggregated together to create one indicator, i.e. integration measures, consultative bodies).

Scoring
The indicator scores in each dimension are averaged together to give a dimension score. Each strand therefore has four dimension scores. The average of the four dimension scores in each strand produces a strand score. Each country therefore has six strand scores. The six strands are then averaged together to give an overall score for each country. Other averages (EU 25/15/10) are calculated as a simple mean score of the given countries. The initial 1-3 scale is converted into a 0-100 scale for dimensions and strands, where 100% is best practice. Rankings and comparisons can then be made on the basis of these scores.

What is transposition?
A Directive is a European
Community law which Member
States must pass into their
national legislation. This
process - known as
‘transposition' - gives national
authorities the freedom to
decide the exact form and
methods of the law, as long as it
clearly meets the aims of the
Directive. This is particularly the
case with Directives on
migration, which contain
numerous derogations and
flexible wording. MIPEX does
not monitor transposition itself,
but rather the implementation
of the highest standards
sometimes found within
relevant Directives on
migration.
For more on transposition, see
See Schibel (MPG), Monitoring
and influencing the
transposition of EU immigration
law - the family reunion and
long-term residents Directives
,
European Migration Dialogue,
September 2004 

Resources
Downloadable docs
Full Results Table
All the indicator options and responses for all 28 participating countries.
English
Experts' Comments
Condensing complex policies to a 1-3 score can seem reductive. Download here comments and explanations from the country experts.
English
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