The European Commission (EC) recently published its New Pact on Migration and Asylum this past month, on September 23, consisting of a communication alongside a package of nine instruments. It outlined the Commission’s new guide to migration, including how to approach border management and integrate the internal and external dimensions of migration policy. Over the next few months, five further reform initiatives that complete the Pact overall will be presented.
The Pact was informed by consultations with Member States, the European Parliament, civil society organizations and various other stakeholders. It is relevant to the ITFLOWS project as it demonstrates the ways in which further data provided by initiatives like ITFLOWS is fundamental and necessary to improving migration policy. In order to build upon these types of agreements and translate it to evidence-based policy, the ITFLOWS EU MigraTool can help to provide this necessary data.
Perspective from our partners
In addition to the data and resources to be provided by the ITFLOWS project, ITFLOWS Consortium members offer a continuous analysis and examination of migration developments like the EC pact. In particular, ITFLOWS Consortium partner the Centre for European Policy Studies (CEPS), a non-profit, international think tank based out of Brussels, has already provided a policy insight on the Pact. The report specifically analyzes the Pact’s compliance with the principles and obligations of European Union (EU) Treaties and the United Nations Global Compact on Refugees. Observing that it is not a legal pact, the author explains that the EC’s policy guide represents progress, in that it is moving towards improved rule of law and fundamental rights safeguards.
Meanwhile, another ITFLOWS Consortium Partner, Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI), a private, independent and non-profit think tank dedicated to international politics and based in Rome, has examined the Pact with a view as to how it can translate to policy and implementation. In particular, the authors stress that the EU Member States remain key players in the EU’s approach to migration, and that their cooperation and ability to overcome domestic political constraints are fundamental in achieving effective, multilateral solutions.
Data Matters
The fluid situation surrounding EU migration flows calls for further data and reexamination of policies. Policy developments like the New Pact on Migration and Asylum, or tragic events like the crisis on the Greek Island of Lesvos, serve as recent reminders of the urgent need to collect, analyze and disseminate comprehensive data and knowledge that ultimately can contribute to European society’s overall wellbeing.
