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Immigrant Integration in Europe: Meeting Today's Pressing Challenges

Explore the pressing challenges of immigrant integration in Europe and the initiatives taken by Belgium and Germany. Gain insights into the political structures, paths to citizenship, and key issues in today's immigration debate. This comprehensive guide provides a valuable resource for policymakers, researchers, and individuals interested in the topic.

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Immigrant Integration in Europe: Meeting Today's Pressing Challenges

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  1. Immigrant Integration in Europe: Meeting Today's Pressing Challenges Lode Draelants, International Comite Geert Roukaerts, Regional Integration Center Foyer Emily Schmidt, CDS InternatioNal

  2. Forming a Transatlantic Perspective • integrationXchange • April 2007-October 2008 • 60 participants total from Hamburg and New York • US-Belgium Cultural Crossing • March 2008-December 2008 • 42 participants from Brussels, Antwerp & Liège and Atlanta, Colorado, Detroit, & Seattle

  3. Agenda • Political and demographic overview • Political structures • Paths to citizenship • Belgian integration snapshot • German integration snapshot • European integration initiatives • Resources

  4. Map of Europe

  5. Key Statistics

  6. Immigration Statistics

  7. Political Structure and Parties • Immigration vs. Integration Policy • 2000 – European framework for immigration with individual Member States responsible for implementation • Integration governed by local states within each Member State • Belgium • Multi-party system with strong recent debate about country/state structure • Political parties have different platforms across Belgian states and language communities • 2008 – first federal minister of integration • Germany • Multi-party system with “grand coalition” since 2005 • 2007 – first national plan for integration

  8. European Immigration History (Im)Migration since 19th century Europe: different migrationstories Past: 3 factors migration: Push Pull Network Migration with two faces !

  9. Phases in European Immigration 1946 – 1974 : immigration to work Italy Spain – Greece Inactive people Marocco – Turkey 1974 – 1983 : migration stop 1983 – 1999 : “Fort Europe” Asylum 1992 : black Sunday: Vlaams belang Since 1999 (EU: Pact of Amsterdam): a new factor: global approach (EU common approch)

  10. Key Issues in Today’s Immigration Debate Employment-based immigration Regularization Post 9/11 – role of Islam in Europe Turkey’s acceptance into European Union Gaps in educational attainment

  11. German Immigration Policy • Guest worker policy – 1955 to 1973 • 1945 – present – Aussiedler (ethnic German) immigration from eastern Europe and then Russia • Temporary asylum program for Bosnia-Herzegovina • 1988 – present – new guest worker program • 1993 –tightening of asylum laws • 2000 – Skilled worker program introduced • 2005 reform • Green Card program for skilled workers and entrepreneurs • One-year optional practical training for students

  12. Citizenship in Germany • New law effective January 1, 2000 • Conditions for children with non-German parents • Born after January 1, 2000 • One parent resident in Germany for at least 8 years and have at least a 3-year unlimited residence permit. • Between ages 18 and 23, decision must be made to retain German citizenship or the parent’s citizenship

  13. Citizenship in Belgium • Major reforms • 1984 –citizenship granted only if mother is Belgian with grandfather clause for those already in Belgium • 1992 – Declaration of Nationality granting rights to 18-year-olds born and raised in Belgium • 2000 – Citizenship granted to 3rd generation descendants • Key questions • Options for skilled labor migration? • What is Belgian identity / culture? • What is required of a newcomer?

  14. Questions • ….

  15. Integration in Belgium • Key Considerations • Language • Education • Identity • Religion • Discrimination • Radicalization • Spokespeople and role models

  16. Language Differing language requirements for immigrants state by state and region by region Multiple official or quasi-official languages European vision requires multilingualism Difficult to embrace a large number of foreign languages

  17. Education Different socialization mandates for schools Tracking systems Presence of minority teachers Expectations of minority children

  18. Germany’s Education System

  19. Discussion

  20. Towards a common European Union immigration policy All members states of the EU have agreed to developed a common immigration policy at EU level. Main objective: to better manage migration flows by a coordinated approach which takes into account the economic and demographic situation of the EU.

  21. The EU and integration:a common framework for the integration of third-country nationals Tampere European Council In October 1999 at the European Council meeting in Tampere (Finland), the leaders of the European Union (EU) called for a common immigration policy which would include more dynamic policies to ensure the integration of third-country nationals residing in the European Union. They agreed that the aim of this integration policy should be to grant third-country nationals rights and obligations comparable to those of citizens of the EU.

  22. The Hague Programme and the Common Basic Principles The Hague Programme adopted by the European Council on 4-5 November 2004 underlined the need for greater co-ordination of national integration policies and EU initiatives in this field. It further stated that a framework, based on common basic principles, should form the foundation for future initiatives in the EU. The Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council of 19 November 2004 adopted such Common Basic Principles (CBPs) and these underline the importance of a holistic approach to integration. Those principles were further developed in the Common Agenda for Integration which was put forward by the Commission in September 2005.

  23. Ministerial Conferences To continue the political debate initiated at the first Ministerial Conference on integration of Groningen in 2004, an Informal Meeting of EU Ministers Responsible for Integration took place in May 2007 in Potsdam. A third Ministerial Conference was held in Vichy in November 2008.

  24. National Contact Points on Integration Handbook on Integration for policy-makers and practitioners European Fund for the Integration of third-country nationals European Integration Forum gathering representatives of civil society - http://ec.europa.eu/ewsi/en/index.cfm European Commission against Racism and Intolerance http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/default_en.asp

  25. Discussion

  26. http://www.elections2009-results.eu/ European election June 2009 338 million Europeans - 27 countries - turnout : 43% in 2009 – seats: 736 • Legend: • EPP : Group of the European People's Party (Christian Democrats) • PES : Socialist Group in the European Parliament • ALDE : Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe • UEN : Union for Europe of the Nations Group • GREENS/ EFA : Group of the Greens / European Free Alliance • GUE/ NGL : Confederal Group of the European United Left - Nordic Green Left • IND/ DEM : Independence/Democracy Group • Others : Popular, Extreme right • Without prejudice to the composition of the EP at the inaugural session on 14 July 2009 • Source: TNS opinion in collaboration with the EP.

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