Project Description
10th meeting of the European Integration Forum
he extension of the scope of the current European Integration Forum to cover topics related to immigration and asylum presents an opportunity to revise the format of the Forum in order to make it a more constructive, efficient and visible meeting space between civil society organizations and EU and Member States high-level policy makers. The new European Asylum, Migration and Integration Forum (hereinafter AMI Forum) must involve a broader civil society membership as the issues it will address are more diverse and more related to EU law and thus engage the European Commission’s obligations as guardian of the treaties. The new Forum should not replace ongoing consultation and monitoring mechanisms, but enhance their effectiveness.
With this statement, EPAM would like to propose revisions that should be made to the Forum in order to make it a more representative and more efficient entity. These changes can be regrouped in three main categories: structural changes, changes in the agenda-setting procedures and changes in participation procedures. The Forum should aim at wider representation to allow for a high-level dialogue on asylum, migration and integration issues in the EU between civil society organisations and Member States and EU policymakers. The participation of immigrant-run organisations should also be facilitated.
