In a debate forming part of the European University Institute State of the Union event in Florence on Thursday 10 May, a number of figures highlighted the major role local authorities have to play in the reception and welcoming of refugees.
The debate was of particular relevance, with a round of conferences on the future of the Union centring around the issue of solidarity.
Matteo Biffoni, Mayor of Prato, Italy who is also responsible for migration policy for the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI) was the first to speak and to highlight action being conducted by his organisation. “The extremely high numbers of arrivals have been an unprecedented challenge for our country”, he first of all acknowledged, referring to the migratory flows towards Italy over recent years. It is for that reason that, working with the Home Affairs Ministry, ANCI set up a reception programme for refugees in Italy.
This programme is built on a number of principles, including the sustainability of the reception, the willingness of municipalities, subsidiarity and access to public services. While the successes in taking in refugees, in Italy and throughout all of the European Union, have, of course, been relative, Biffoni commended this voluntary model that seeks to give those who arrive in the country prospects for the future by means of “a personal toolkit for integration”. In his view, local political will is crucial for the reception and integration of refugees.
This vision is also shared by Michael O’Flaherty, Director of the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights. He said that immigration and taking in refugees was “an enormous challenge for local communities”. One thing seems clear to him: integration strategy works better when local authorities are fully involved in the process. “The city is the most interesting laboratory in Europe for testing smart solutions”, he added. It is important to ensure, he argued, that various actors are involved in integration policy: migrants, local authorities and civil society.
Involving the private sector. These comments were backed by MEP Brando Benifei (S&D, Italy), who made the point that “civil society plays a crucial role” in this area, as does the private sector. He hailed the efforts of the European Commission to harmonise the rules, for example, with regard to the standards for the reception of asylum seekers, while interinstitutional negotiations between the European Parliament and the Bulgarian Presidency of the Council of the EU are continuing (see EUROPE 12006).
Benifei also drew attention to the European Commission proposal on the multiannual financial framework (MFF) presented on 2 May which suggests that the new European Social Fund (ESF) could allocate funding for the reception of refugees (see EUROPE 12013). He described this suggestion as “interesting”. This instrument would create synergies with “micro-finance, social innovation and social entrepreneurship”, he further stated.
Benifei, the rapporteur on the own initiative report on social inclusion and integration of refugees in the jobs market shared the view of French President Emmanuel Macron in wishing that funding be made available for local businesses working to assist the integration of refugees, pointing out that this was advocated, too, in Paragraph 26 of his report (see EUROPE 11587).
Asylum seekers lodged by European University Institute. Virginia Passalacqua, a researcher at the European University Institute, concluded the debate with a presentation of the initiative by the Institute, which has, for two years, provided accommodation for six asylum seekers. The initiative, supported by Caritas, offers language classes and provides a clear example on integration. Passalacqua argued for greater equality between refugees and European citizens in order to make integration of refugees a success. (Original version in French by Lucas Tripoteau)