ICMPD-Review-2015

Migration is 

about people. 

Annual Report 2015

Content 

Capacity Building 

02 

03 

06 

12 

17 

22 

24 

A Decisive Year 

Five Questions for the 

Director General 

Lessons from a Migration 

Policy Crisis 

Smuggling of Migrants 

How are the war in Syria 

and the refugee crisis affecting 

human trafficking? 

Valletta Summit on Migration 

ICMPD Projects 2015 

37 

40 

42 

44 

46 

International Protection: 2015, 

a Turning Point for the Global 

and European Protection Regime? 

Human Trafficking: Balancing 

Protection and Prosecution 

Border Management: From 

Security to the Effective 

Management of Migration Flows 

Irregular Migration and Return: 

Ensuring Migrants’ Rights 

Legal Migration and Integration: 

Laying the Foundations 

48 

Migration & Development: 

Policy Coherence for Sustainable 

Development 

Research 

28 

Evidence and Reflection: 

Policies, Programmes and 

the Fundamentals of Forwardlooking 

Policies 

Dialogues 

51 

52 

Cross-Cutting 

Migrants in Countries in Crisis 

MIgration EU eXpertise 

(MIEUX) - Forging Global 

Migration Partnerships 

30 

32 

Budapest Process 

Prague Process 

Policy Development 

33 

34 

EUROMED Migration 

Rabat Process 

54 

Towards a New Migration 

Architecture 

35 

36 

Mediterranean Transit Migration 

Khartoum Process 

55 

Promoting Interdisciplinary 

Approach to Migration — 

ICMPD Summer Schools 

55 

Better Informed for 

Better Migration

ICMPD 

in a nutshell 

General 

Founded by Austria and 

Switzerland in 1993 

15 member states 

Headquarters in Vienna 

19 locations worldwide 

Gender distribution of 

staff: 66% female and 

34% male 

Contracted project 

volume: 110.6 million 

Three Pillars of Work 

Research: Policy-relevant 

research, empirical 

research with a comparative, 

interdisciplinary, and 

international approach 

covering numerous 

migration-related topics 

Migration Dialogues: 

Support dialogue between 

Europe and its neighbours 

East (Budapest Process, 

Prague Process) and 

South (Rabat and 

Khartoum Process (MMD), 

as well as EUROMED) 

Capacity Building: 

Training, capacity building 

programmes, workshops, 

study visits, facilitation 

of international and interagency 

cooperation and 

support in institution 

building 

Six Main Thematic 

Areas of Expertise 

Asylum 

Border Management 

and Visa 

Irregular Migration 

and Return 

Legal Migration and 

Integration 

Migration and 

Development 

Trafficking in Human 

Beings

comprehensive, sustainable and 

future-oriented migration governance 

ICMPD Member States 

Austria 

since 1993 

Bosnia and 

Herzegovina 

since 2012 

Bulgaria 

since 2003 

Croatia 

since 2004 

Czech 

Republic 

since 2001 

Hungary 

since 1995 

The former 

Yugoslav 

Republic of 

Macedonia 

since 2015 

Poland 

since 2004 

Portugal 

since 2002 

Romania 

since 2011 

Serbia 

since 2011 

Slovakia 

since 2006 

Slovenia 

since 1998 

Sweden 

since 2002 

Switzerland 

since 1993 

This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244/99 

and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.

Migration is 

about people. 

Annual Report 2015

ICMPD Annual Report 2015 

2 

Acting DG 2015 

A Decisive Year 

Gabriela Abado, Acting Director General 2015 

In January 2015 few would have predicted that by the 

end of the year we will have witnessed the largest 

refugee flows since World War II. Roughly one million 

refugees, displaced persons, and irregular migrants 

had made their way to Europe across the Mediterranean 

and via the Balkans route and thousands had 

lost their lives. Europe’s migration architecture was 

subjected to an unprecedented stress test. Failing 

policies and instruments prompted crises mode actions 

with reactive and sometimes drastic mea sures 

as an immediate response to a non-controll able 

situation. The 2015’s events also challenged ICMPD’s 

capacity to support our Member States with adequate 

and balanced policy responses. It will be a key element 

of our future strategy to contribute to a holistic 

European concept including credible and sustainable 

cooperation frameworks with countries of origin and 

transit. 2015 was also a decisive year for ICMPD’s 

organisational development. Member States decided 

on improvements in the regulatoy framework, agreed 

on a new membership contribution scale and 

elected a new Director General. With a strength en ed 

institutional base and a stable leadership ICMPD is well 

prepared to play its part in making migration better.


3 

5 Questions to the DG 

Five Questions for 

the Director General 

1 What is your relationship to 

the topic of migration? 

In the course of my career, I built up ext ensive 

experience in international politics 

and mediating between parties with differing 

interests. This was the case through out 

my activity as a Member of the European 

Parliament, as the second President of 

the Austrian National Assembly and during 

my five-year tenure as the Minister of 

Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Austria. 

Few topics are more sensitive and potentially 

divisive at the national as international 

level than migration. At the same time, 

migration offers great positive potential 

for individuals and states alike. Today, it is 

a great privilege for me to be able to use 

my experience in politics and mediation 

in my new capacity as Director General 

of the International Centre for Migration 

Policy Development, and I see it as my 

personal objective to contribute to more 

cooperation and common understanding 

among states concerning migration issues. 

2 What is the scope of ICMPD’s 

work and efforts? 

Since its foundation in the early 1990s, 

ICMPD has worked on various aspects 

of migration, looking both at long, mid and 

short-term challenges. We always emphasise 

that migration is about people. 

When we speak about people, we un questionably 

speak about migrants and their 

human rights, but we also speak about 

the interests of people in desti na tion and 

transit countries. Migration policies can 

not be developed or even discussed without 

looking at the bigger, human picture. 

We always talk about people, their fates 

and how they are affected by migration. 

This broad approach towards migration 

also determines how we approach our 

work. We combine research, support to 

intergovernmental migration dialogues 

between Europe and its Eastern and 

Sout hern neighbours and technical 

cooperation and capacity building on 

all migration issues. This allows us to 

build up considerable expertise and 

advise our partners on basis of a sound 

academic, political AND operational 

understanding of migration. 

3 What are the main challenges 

of migration today? 

In my opinion there are four main 

challenges for Europe and its partners: 

Firstly, we need to regulate the movements, 

curb smuggling and trafficking of migrants 

and refugees, and provide safe and legal 

ways for them to find protection. 

Secondly, we have to ensure the proper 

functioning of the European protection 

system, including proper reception and 

return when needed. Without this, Europe 

will lose the trust of its citizens, and will 

not be able to provide protection to those 

in need. 

Thirdly, we need to guarantee that refugees 

who will stay in Europe have the rights and 

possibilities to integrate and participate, 

and that obligations of both the newlyarrived 

and the host society are clear.


4 


“Finally, it is crucial to develop a new 

European migration regime, defining 

what the objectives of our migration 

and protection systems are. 

Europe has to act in solidarity, with 

a clear distribution of responsibilities.”


5 


Only through successful integration into 

the labour market and educational systems 

can migrants and host communities reap 

the full benefits of migration. This is also 

the key to preventing the radicalisation of 

disenfranchised youth. 

Finally, it is crucial to develop a new 

Euro pean migration regime, defining what 

the objectives of our migration and protec 

tion systems are. Europe has to act in 

solidarity, with a clear distribution of 

responsibilities. 

4 What will be your new point 

of emphasis for ICMPD? 

I want to strengthen ICMPD in two fields 

of action: firstly, we all know that in order 

to master the current situation we need to 

follow a holistic approach and the current 

situation requires comprehensive solutions. 

It is also clear that no country can 

shoulder these challenges on its own. 

Countries from all regions can and will 

succeed only by working together. 

However, as each country has to follow its 

national interests, it takes a neutral broker 

to bring forth change. A platform that can 

analyse, act and communicate beyond 

national interests and tomorrow’s news 

headlines. For this purpose, I would like to 

continue developing ICMPD in the future 

and offer its services to states and Europe. 

The international community needs a 

“dialogue and mediation” platform for 

migration; an organisation which understands 

the priorities and interests of 

countries of origin, transit and destination. 

This platform should also be able to break 

new ground, the needs for which are only 

just emerging. I am considering, for exam 

ple, the much-needed rectification of 

smuggler’s propaganda, or the role of the 

diaspora in information flows to countries 

of origin. ICMPD should offer a platform 

that does not shy away from discussing 

all essential issues, listening to the concerns 

of everyone involved,proposing concrete 

solutions and finding ways to break 

through deadlocked situations. 

Secondly, Europe needs to better prepare 

itself for future developments. It must 

suc ceed at recognising certain developments 

further ahead. The EU needs to 

move from the point of constant “reaction” 

to anti cipatory “acting”. This can only be 

done on the basis of solid evidence and 

analysis, and with a thorough under standing 

of all facets of migration. In this 

sense, I want to strengthen ICMPD as a 

think tank, which provides independent 

research on future developments of 

migration, linking policy and practice and 

moving from ideas to actions. This think 

tank will deal with issues that go beyond 

individual states and beyond the EU. 

Only the broadest possible perspective 

will reveal the large migration trends of 

the future. The think tank will develop 

sce nar ios and complete impact analyses. 

What would the conclu sion of certain 

agree ments lead to? What will the effect 

be on flows; what will the impact be on 

other countries? How can Europe prepare 

for environmental degradation or for 

political turmoil? 

5 What makes ICMPD unique? 

In addition to our aforementioned three 

pronged approach, ICMPD’s uniqueness 

comes for its staff. Their expertise and 

professionalism impressed me from the 

very start as DG. They combine commitment 

to making migration better with 

professionalism in their work with our 

partners. As migration is one of the most 

crucial issues for the international community, 

influencing the future of countries 

and individuals alike, it is these qualities 

which are needed and which you will find 

in ICMPD.


6 

Editorial 

Lessons from 

a Migration 

Policy Crisis Martijn Pluim, Lukas Gehrke 

The surge in the number of refugees and migrants 

making their way to Europe in 2015 brought the 

weaknesses of the fragile European migration and 

protection system to the forefront and indeed led 

to a virtual collapse of some of its key components, 

such as the Dublin Regulation. This triggered a 

policy and political crisis within the European Union 

as Member States and the European Commission 

found themselves in disagreement over how to 

effectively handle the situation. Inadequate intrastate 

coordination and a series of unilateral responses 

led to an uncontrollable situation for migrants, 

refugees and states alike. The drowning of thousands 

of people along the Mediterranean coasts, the 

erection of fences, as well as the temp orary rein troduction 

of border controls are all telling examples 

of the failure to develop a European set of policies 

ensuring adequate protection for refugees and a 

sustainable comprehensive migration system ready 

for the future migration realities. 

While the EU could have been expected to have the 

capacity to protect and integrate arriving migrants 

and refugees accounting for 0.1% of its population, 

the events in 2015 showed that the existing migration 

and protection system left countries unprepared 

to cope with the dramatic increase in the number of 

people transiting along the Mediterranean and 

Western Balkan routes, while placing an unequal 

level of responsibility on a few final destination 

countries as well as several states along the EU’s 

outer borders. The necessary reform of the European 

migration and protection system started to a certain 

extent already in 2015, and will definitely continue 

in 2016. ICMPD will lend its active support to this 

process by contributing to and commenting on the 

various proposals being made. 

While the migratory flows to Europe are diverse and 

heterogeneous, the spike in refugee numbers is first 

and foremost a result of conflict rather than economic 

precarity. Whether it’s the war in Syria and parts of 

Iraq, the violent instability in Afghanistan and Libya, 

or indefinite military conscription in Eritrea – forced 

migration accounted for a large portion of the overall 

migratory flows. 

The current critical situation, however, is not only 

linked to the spike in the number of people displaced 

by conflict, but also reveals what happens when 

migration policies are not aligned with the economic, 

demographic, and social realities of today’s world. 

The lack of legal migration avenues, for example, 

pushed economic migrants to overburden the European 

protection system with asylum claims in order 

to be able to stay. With the spike in the arrival of 

refugees in 2015, the existing migration structures 

broke down, unable to handle a critical situation they 

were not designed to withstand.


7 

Editorial 

People smugglers profited immensely from the 

dramatic developments in 2015, taking advantage 

of the absence of legal and regular migration 

chan nels to put migrants and refugees at risk. 

Combating smuggling has therefore been high on 

the EU’s migration agenda, particularly after the 

tragic death of seventy-one persons in an abandoned 

lorry in Austria. As is shown in this report, 

smuggling is facilitated by a network of ‘specialised 

service providers’, which demands a very targeted 

and differentiated law enforcement approach. 

At the same time, we should recognise that smugglers 

profit from the lack of alternative safe routes 

to protection, as well as from ever tighter border 

controls. Providing safe and legal migration pathways 

to Europe is therefore essential to prevent 

smuggling. 

Both delivering protection to those who need it and 

fighting irregular migration hinge on European unity 

and interregional cooperation. Coming up with a 

European-level solution is essential in order to regain 

control over migratory movements to Europe that 

would protect refugees, manage migration in an 

orderly manner, and safeguard freedom of movement 

within the Schengen zone. However, a strengthened 

European approach alone will not be sufficient. 

Targeted bi-lateral and multilateral cooperation as 

well as migration dialogues are essential tools to 

achieve better international migration governance. 

Strengthening International 

Solidarity 

The deepening political crisis within the EU has at 

times overshadowed the immense responsibility 

carried by transit countries along the current migration 

routes to Europe. While the EU asylum system may 

be under strain, Syria’s neighbouring countries have, 

since the beginning of the conflict, welcomed far 

larger numbers of refugees with 4.5 million refugees 

spread out across Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, 

and Egypt. These countries have been confronted 

with the Syrian refugee crisis to a much greater 

extent, over a longer period of time, and with more 

limited resources and humanitarian capacities. For 

transit countries most affected by the on-going influx 

of refugees, the crisis did not start in 2015. Europe’s 

neighbours in the Mediterranean and the Middle 

East have been bearing the brunt of conflict-induced 

displacement for a number of years with limited 

assistance and insufficient opportunities for the 

displaced population. 

It is becoming increasingly clear that stepping up 

international assistance to countries hosting migrants 

and refugees in the region is a key part of the solution 

to the current situation. Guiding principle, in this regard 

should be that the eventual mid to long-term return 

of the displaced population forced out of their homes 

while offering humane and decent living oppor tunities 

is as important as taking the concerns of host communities 

seriously. 

Therefore, European migration policies need to take 

a truly regional and comprehensive approach. This 

is why ICMPD is working with all countries along key 

migration routes. Due to our active and close cooper 

ation with countries of origin, transit, and desti nation, 

ICMPD acts as a bridge and knowledge broker 

between Europe, its southern and eastern neighbours, 

and beyond, in developing interregional migration 

policies based on good existing practices. 

ICMPD has been at the forefront of providing evidencebased 

support to countries in the region, for example 

through our close cooperation with Turkish migration 

authorities in elaborating a development-sensitive 

and coherent migration policy. More broadly, ICMPD 

has engaged with countries along major migration 

routes through a series of dialogues and partnerships 

based on information exchange throughout the 

Mediterranean, West and East Africa, as well as 

the Middle East. As part of our efforts to understand 

the long-reaching effects of the Syria conflict and 

the resulting flight from the country, we completed a 

groundbreaking research project on the impact of the 

Syrian crisis on trafficking in persons across the 

entire region. With these and other projects, ICMPD 

strives to demonstrate the importance of close 

cooperation with transit countries in addressing the 

full spectrum of issues related to displacement, 

mobility, and vulnerability.


8 

Editorial 

“It is becoming increasingly clear that 

stepping up international assistance to 

countries hosting migrants and refugees 

in the region is a key part of the solution 

to the current situation.” 

Regional Dialogues 

for Better Migration 

Beyond providing assistance in coping with the 

immediate effects of the current crisis, it is also 

imperative to simultaneously develop coherent 

policies for the long term as part of a new common 

migration regime tailored for the future. Past policy 

failures clearly show a need for more cohesion and 

dialogue on an intra-governmental level between 

source, transit, and destination countries. In addition 

to our existing role in supporting cross-regional 

migration dialogues dealing with migration issues 

such as the Prague, Budapest, Rabat, and Khartoum 

Processes and the Euromed project, ICMPD reasserted 

itself as a facilitator between Africa and the 

EU at the 2015 Valetta Summit, taking on the task 

of translating policy into practice through a variety 

of projects in the region. ICMPD’s work in the region 

focuses on promoting mobility within and between 

Africa and Europe, fighting smuggling and trafficking 

in human beings and helping migration act as a 

catalyst for socio-economic development through 

diaspora engagement. 

While taking into account the humanitarian needs 

of transit countries and the EU’s push for orderly 

migration, expanding access to legal migration 

channels remains an important issue for source 

countries who face youth unemployment and poor 

living conditions. In the long run, any successful 

migration policy needs to prevent irregular migration 

and strengthen alternatives allowing for safe, legal 

and voluntary migration. 

Fruitful cooperation with transit countries and countries 

of origin can only be based on mutual trust and 

a shared understanding of the challenges and opportunities 

related to migration. This involves taking into 

consideration the needs of source countries that 

have a vested interest in moving towards a sus tainable 

migration regime that utilises migration as an 

instrument for development while fighting against 

different forms of irregular migration and organised 

crime. Such an approach requires looking at migration 

as part of a wider developmental process that fits 

into a larger global trend and should be aligned with 

the UN’s sustainable development target of providing 

for orderly and well-managed migration.


9 

Editorial 

“In order to effectively manage migration 

today, it is crucial to understand how 

orderly migration can have a positive 

impact on both sending and receiving 

societies in the future.” 

Anticipating Migration 

Challenges of the Future 

In order to effectively manage migration today, it is 

crucial to understand how orderly migration can have 

a positive impact on both sending and receiving 

societies in the future. At ICMPD we are firmly ded i- 

cated to providing countries and societies with the 

knowledge and tools to adequately integrate migration 

into their long-term economic, social, and demographic 

strategies. This is a particularly urgent task 

given the projected regional demographic, eco nomic, 

and social changes, including a sharp decline in 

Europe’s working age population in the decades to 

come. Given the increased availability of both infor mation 

and resources for a large number of ambitious 

young people in regions bordering Europe, states 

need to prepare both their migrations systems and 

their populations by designing comprehensive migration 

policies and practices adapted for the future. 

This is the only viable alternative to having the smugglers 

decide who gets to come. 

It is important to keep in mind that migration is part 

and parcel of a megatrend of global mobility that is 

not confined to a specific geographical area. 

Iden tifying complementarities between the needs 

of source, transit, and destination countries is the 

key to a successful future-oriented migration policy. 

When properly managed, migration can be mutually 

beneficial for countries facing a myriad of challenges 

ranging from youth unemployment and labour mismatch 

to aging populations and welfare systems 

under stress. As an organisation, ICMPD places particular 

emphasis on preparing countries and societies 

for mid to long-term changes related to migration 

with a broad set of tools, experience, and knowledge 

at our disposal. 

Most importantly, out of the migration policy crisis 

in 2015 comes a reinvigorated European and global 

understanding of the urgent need for a holistic 

approach to migration based on evidence-based 

policies and close partnerships bolstered by a sense 

of shared responsibility. Addressing the immediate 

concerns of refugees and asylum seekers seeking 

safety must go hand in hand with developing a more 

comprehensive future-oriented legal migration 

regime. Migration does not need to be a ‘problem’, 

but rather represents a series of opportunities and 

challenges that need to be effectively managed on 

an international level.


10 

Global Facts 

and Figures 

POPULATIONS 

OF CONCERN 

refugees, asylum seekers, 

returnees (refugees and internally 

displaced people), stateless 

people, others of concern 

2002 

SHARE OF INTERNA- 

TIONAL MIGRANTS 

AMONG THE WORLD 

POPULATION 

1965 

2,3% 

22million 

JUNE 2016 

65.3million 

1990 

2,9% 

(21.3 million refugees; 

40.8 million internally displaced; 

3.2 million asylum seekers.) 

60 

2015 

3,3% 

40 

2002 

June 2016 

20 

0 

Source: UNHCR 

Global Appeal 

2016-2017 

Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social 

Affairs, Population Division (2016). International Migration 

Report 2015: Highlights (ST/ESA/SER.A/375).


11 

REMITTANCES 

VS. OFFICIAL 

DEVELOPMENT 

ASSISTANCE 

Sources: The World Bank: 

Migration and Development Brief, 

April 13, 2015; OECD – DAC, 

The global picture of Official 

Development Assistance (ODA) 

137billion USD 

Official Development 

Assistance 

440billion USD 

Remittances to 

Developing Countries


12 

In Focus 2015 

Smuggling of Migrants 

Policies, Programmes, and 

Operational Responses 

No matter the political stance of countries of origin, 

transit, or destination of irregular migration, policymakers 

and officials involved in migration issues must 

be provided an accurate and up-to-date picture of 

how migrant smuggling is operating. This is especially 

relevant when pictures of a drowned Syrian child 

washed up on a beach or a lorry filled with the corpses 

of seventy-one migrants is displayed on news 

media throughout the world. People want answers 

as to why irregular migration has become so dangerous; 

why it is taking such a human toll, and what can 

be done to better secure and regulate migrant flows 

while engendering safety for those involved. 

Government officials also need precise information 

for the enactment of more effective legislation and 

improvement of law enforcement. In a time when 

both national and EU officials are overwhelmed with 

a much-increased flow of irregular migration due to 

civil and economic strife in countries of origin, those 

who are the most informed are best positioned to 

create lasting and effective policy. 

In 2015, ICMPD was an integral part of the six-month 

‘Study on smuggling of migrants – characteristics, 

responses and cooperation with third countries’ (EC, 

DG Migration & Home Affairs (2015)). The consortium, 

which was led by Optimity Advisors and also included 

ECRE as a partner, collected information on irregular 

migration routes, migrant smuggling networks, the 

effects of national deterrent measures, the increased 

risks taken by migrants, and essentially how migrant 

smuggling is practiced now. During the course of the 

study, ICMPD researchers found that much of the 

conventional wisdom on migrant smuggling is actually 

out-dated and/or based on misperceptions. 

They dis cov ered this through performing interviews 

with mi grants in their arrival country, migrants in 

transit, and in countries of departure. They also 

collected data from members of migrant smuggling 

networks who told researchers their stories. The 

culminating report sheds light on current migrant 

smuggling pro cesses as well as how these networks 

are affected by deter rence measures, and reveals 

reasons why irregular migration has become more 

dangerous for part i cipants.


13 


The legal definition of migrant smuggling is the paid 

facilitation of a migrant’s crossing of a national bor der 

illegally. This includes, among other things, driving 

people across a border (drivers), providing a map 

and set of directions for crossing on foot (guides), 

arrang ing and/or captaining a boat journey (skippers), 

or being paid to house an irregular migrant to facilitate 

his or her crossing. Often it is still believed that 

migrant smuggling and human trafficking are one 

and the same, but this is a misperception. 

Human trafficking is about recruiting and transferring 

humans into exploitation. In the business of migrant 

smuggling, migrants are not victims from the outset 

but human clients, paying for a service. However, 

many still believe that migrant smuggling and human 

trafficking practices share the same networks, and 

the smuggling study found that this is not necessarily 

the case. The researchers observed that migrant 

Relationships between different actors in migrant 

smuggling networks (Source: Optimity Advisors) 

smuggling is commonly practiced in a more horizontal 

framework (rather than vertically organised), with smugglers 

competing or cooperating together to provide 

services for different portions of the route. Usually, 

these services do involve a ‘manager’ or ‘coordi na tors’ 

that ensure the crossing at a particular section of the 

route functions well, but there is no one individual or 

one organisation controlling the entire migration process 

of an individual migrant. 

The idea that an irregular migrant pays one organization 

a lump sum in their country of origin or departure to 

get them from a country of origin to a country of des tination 

is not the rule. Rather, migrants use services 

of several smuggling networks or individual facil itators 

along their way.


14 


“Everything that is needed to run a travel 

business is mirrored in the illegal travel industry – 

agents, bookers, guides, drivers, 

accommodation providers, document providers, 

advertisements, warranties, group packages, 

luxury and backpacker tours, you name it. 

All these elements need to be addressed to 

tackle migrant smuggling more effectively.” 

Martin Hofmann on the business 

As the report shows, migrant smuggling functions as 

essentially an ‘illegal travel industry’ with each contact 

a link in the chain. Much like other industries, when 

the demand for services raised sharply, the migrant 

smuggling industry had growing pains in accommodating 

such an increase. 

Overall, the networks became increasingly unsafe as, 

without regulation, unprofessional smugglers began 

offering their services. Via sea routes, this meant 

overloading boats with migrants who had been sold 

‘life-vests’ filled with sponges instead of buoyant 

material. If the irregular migrant chooses a land route 

it appears safer, as these routes do not necessarily 

require the smuggler to endanger his or her clients 

in order to accommodate the increasing demand 

for services. Nevertheless, there are still a number 

of risks and difficulties, as the aforementioned lorry 

tragedy illustrates, because the increasing number 

of unprofessional land route smugglers leads to more 

negligent practices. 

Traditionally, a migrant smuggler’s reputation and 

livelihood depended on the safety and efficiency of 

his or her services. The irregular migrant enters into 

an agreement with the migrant smuggler and once 

the border has been safely crossed and the migrant 

reaches a pre-determined destination, evidence of 

the safe arrival would be sent to the smuggler along 

with payment for services rendered. Many migrant 

smugglers would offer a type of guarantee, agreeing 

that if the migrant was sent back, the smuggler 

would help him or her attempt the border crossing 

again. However, due to the enormous demand many 

of the less-professional smugglers now do not 

only not offer guarantees, they also ask for payment 

before the service has been provided and many 

migrants do not have enough money to hire an 

experienced professional. Invariably, if a smuggler 

has clients die, it ruins his or her reputation within 

their respective network, but this is migrant smug - 

gling self-regulation at its most bare and grim and 

highlights how dangerous the irregular migrant’s 

journey has become. The smuggling report suggests 

that, without effective national and international 

policies and measures that both regulate the flow 

of irregular migration and enforce appropriate legal 

action on migrant smugglers, this situation will 

continue to worsen. 

Though historically their courses haven’t changed, 

migration routes used by migrant smugglers are not 

as simple as one may think after seeing images and 

video in the news media last year of large groups 

of irregular migrants crossing a field or collecting at 

a certain border or transit point. Irregular migration 

routes are actually complex, various, and spread out, 

with multiple options, like a large urban city map. 

If a segment of a route is affected by control measures, 

then the smuggling network adjusts and re- routes 

itself. However, the effect on the region shows at certain 

transit points and borders the system becomes 

congested as the smuggling network corrects itself.


15 


“A good analogy for how migrant smuggling 

routes work is a city metro or underground 

system. To get to their destination, travellers 

first get information on the best way to get there, 

then enter at any point on an underground line, 

change lines at major stations or ‘hubs’ if 

necessary, and/or get out when there is a line 

closure to take another form of transport – 

taxis, bus etc. or walk.” Veronika Bilger on routes 

One may describe the collection of these segments 

as a main route – and thus the report was aptly 

timed as it was conducted right in the middle of such 

a shift from the Central Mediterranean segment of 

a main route (through Turkey) to the Balkan segment 

of the route. The first signs that this shift would be 

major appeared in early July 2015 as a consequence 

of the introduction of visa requirements for Syrians 

in some Arab countries along the route to Libya and 

the understandable desire of smugglers’ clients to 

avoid crossing the Mediterranean once the huge 

numbers of deaths at sea during spring 2015 had 

made obvious how dangerous such a journey actually 

was. Ultimately, it was both surprising and informative 

that this giant, non-integrated migrant smuggling 

network was able to adapt within one month. 

In many cases control measures have almost immediate 

impacts on smuggling operations and irregular 

migration flows. Physical control measures reduce 

migrant smuggling on respective border sections, 

leading to displacement effects or route changes. 

Changes in transit, entry and residence regulations 

also require changes in modus operandi on the 

smugglers’ side to or away from a given country. 

Tighter controls and high document security standards 

can completely curb a modus operandi. 

However, the majority of control measures focus on 

the national level and are not fully coordinated and 

aligned between countries along smuggling routes 

and regions. This allows for circumventing such 

obstacles and for developing alternative routes or 

modus operandi. Enhanced cooperation between 

countries is crucial, however, to effectively regulate 

the current irregular migration flow and improve law 

enforcement on migrant smugglers. Policymakers 

must also take into account the technological advancements 

in how irregular migration is occuring. 

One of the more revealing discoveries ICMPD made 

through the course of the study was how much the 

use of current technology has changed both migrant 

smuggling processes and irregular migration in gener 

al. Ten years ago, the migrant smuggler controlled 

the migrant’s access to information to the extent that 

they would often take their client’s cell phone, only 

to be returned after the border was safely crossed, in 

order to make the migrant dependent and to prevent 

him or her from giving away information to the outside 

world that would endanger the carrying out of smuggling 

operations. With the advent of smartphones, 

this practice no longer enters the conversation. 

In fact, some smugglers even plan out a route for 

their client that depends on the migrant’s use of his 

or her smartphone’s GPS to find pre-designated 

locations on segments of the route. An irregular migrant 

may also use his or her smartphone to plan 

out segments of their journey in countries of transit, 

making real-time adjustments (for example, immediate 

access to train and bus timetables/schedules), 

and – most importantly – share and analyse realtime 

information with thousands of other migrants 

in communication networks.


16 


The advent of the smartphone is not the only tech nological 

advancement used in current irregular migration 

practices; social media networks and online 

for ums also play an important role in the migrant’s 

access to information and ability to search for smuggling 

services, find updates on situations and po tential 

problems at central points and border areas, and 

communicate safe passage. For example, an irregular 

migrant may post a photo on social media of his or 

herself in front of an iconic landmark in a country of 

destination, providing proof of safe arrival and trigger 

ing payment to the smuggler, depending on their 

specific arrangement. 

After witnessing the aforementioned uses of current, 

readily available technology by migrant smuggling 

service providers and clients, it is not surprising that 

migrant smuggling networks have been able to 

rapidly adapt to national regulatory and containment 

measures, as the route segment shift showed in 

summer of 2015. ICMPD suggests that countries of 

origin, transit, and destination develop innovative 

and even-handed cooperation practices if they wish 

to effectively address migrant smuggling networks. 

Countries need to realise that irregular migration in 

general and migrant smuggling in particular is a distinct 

way of moving. 

Migrant smuggling essentially compensates lacking 

legal pathways. If countries do not take control over 

legal migration, and allow for a more diverse group 

of people arriving, it will be the smugglers who will 

define who comes. 

In conclusion, the findings of the 2015 migrant smuggling 

study are vital for understanding how migrant 

smuggling networks currently operate and the dangers 

irregular migrants face in a time of over whelming 

demand for smugglers’ services. Having accurate 

data on which to base policy decisions not only provides 

ICMPD member states with the tools for law 

enforcement and regulation of illegal migrant smuggling 

activities as well as assists policymakers in 

drafting effective regulatory measures, it also helps 

answer the questions posed by the sometimes 

tragic and deadly result of an overloaded and illegal 

service industry. 

“Facebook, WhatsApp and Viber, have changed 

the way migrants send and receive information, 

and have multiplied the speed of information 

dissemination. Migrants are able to contact 

smugglers through social media platforms, tell 

each other to avoid unscrupulous smugglers, 

and share information on the best routes, 

prices, and their successful arrival at a destination. 

They can decide next steps, including changing a 

route, immediately based on real-time information 

from others along the route.” Maegan Hendow on social media


17 


How are the War in 

Syria and the Refugee 

Crisis Affecting Human 

Trafficking? Claire Healy 

Often people are trafficked or exploited 

because they are not able to meet their 

basic needs 

Violence in Syria has been driving children, women 

and men from their homes for almost five years now. 

ICMPD’s new research study looks at the vulnerability 

of displaced Syrian people to trafficking in 

persons. The research found that people are often 

trafficked or exploited because they are not able 

to meet their basic needs. This is exacerbated by 

com plications in relation to legal residence status 

in host countries and legal authorisation to work. 

While some trafficking is committed by highly organised 

criminal networks, the most common type of 

exploitation is at a lower level, involving fathers, 

mothers, husbands, extended family, acquaintances 

and neighbours. The context of general vulnerability 

means that there are often factors that leave families 

with no viable alternative for survival other than sit u- 

ations that could be defined as exploitation and 

trafficking in national and international law. 

We therefore need a paradigm shift in how trafficking, 

refugee, migration and child protection policy 

are viewed in terms of access to protection. While 

policy-makers and practitioners might see themselves 

as working in distinct fields, on specific 

topics, the human beings in need of protection do 

not always fall under one single, clear-cut category. 

We must concentrate efforts to provide access to 

basic needs and safety for people displaced from 

and within Syria. 

A new study, Targeting Vulnerabilities, 

examines the war’s impact on trafficking 

in Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq 

The study Targeting Vulnerabilities assesses the 

effects of the Syrian War and refugee crisis on trafficking 

in persons (TIP) in Syria and the surrounding 

region. The study applies an interdisciplinary methodology, 

combining primary research in the field with 

secondary desk research and remote consultations, 

as well as analysing qualitative and quantitative 

sources. The country research findings, together 

with regional desk research, were compiled and 

analysed for the study. 

Four of Syria’s neighbouring states — Turkey, 

Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq — are the most important 

hosting countries worldwide for refugees from the 

war-torn country. Together they host 85% of Syria’s 

registered refugees and asylum applicants abroad. 

According to Eurostat data, 670,000 Syrians sought 

asylum in Europe from April 2011 to March 2016, with 

147,000 in Egypt and other North African countries, 

giving an overall total of 5,506,000 Syrian refugees.


18 


REGISTERED SYRIAN 

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM 

APPLICANTS, JUNE 2016 

Sources: UNHCR; Eurostat. 

Does not include Syrians awaiting 

registration and resettled 

refugees. EU figures 2011-1st 

Quarter of 2016 inclusive. 

1% 

2% 

4% 

12% 

19% 

12% 

50% 

Turkey 

Lebanon 

Jordan 

Iraq 

Egypt 

North Africa 

(other than Egypt) 

All 28 EU MS 

None of the four hosting countries apply the 1951 UN 

Convention definition of a refugee to those fleeing 

the war in Syria. This means that people fleeing Syria 

are subject to specific ad hoc regulations issued 

prior to and since the outbreak of the war and the 

beginning of the forced migration movement. On the 

other hand, Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq 

have all ratified the 2000 UN Trafficking Protocol and 

passed legislation criminalising human trafficking. 

The majority of displaced Syrians are not 

living in camps 

In Syria, just 26% of internally displaced people (IDPs) 

are in camps. Similarly, in all of the four hosting countries, 

the majority of Syrians are living outside of 

official refugee camps, among host communities. 

Lebanon has not authorised the setting up of any 

official refugee camps for Syrians, while in Iraq the 

proportion is 39%, in Jordan 21% and in Turkey 10% 

of all registered refugees. This affects refugees’ and 

IDPs’ access to essential humanitarian aid and other 

services like education, accommodation, vocational 

training and healthcare. Host communities have also 

been affected by the war and displacement, particularly 

the areas within each of the countries that have 

received higher proportions of IDPs and refugees. 

People are vulnerable because of the war 

and violence itself, but also because of the 

legal and institutional systems that they 

must navigate 

The violence that has characterised many parts of 

Syria since 2011, and certain areas within Iraq since 

mid-2014, has affected people in those territories 

and those who have fled abroad in a myriad of ways. 

The complexity of their situations is influenced by 

the war and violence itself, but also by the legal and 

institutional systems that they must navigate within 

Syria and in the four hosting countries in order to 

maintain a legal status, seek employment and generate 

income, access humanitarian aid and public 

services, and seek legal redress if they are victims 

of abuse. 

The desperation of some of these people, who cannot 

provide for sustenance, accommodation and 

essential services for themselves and their families, 

can lead to them exploiting members of their own 

families. Nevertheless, not all exploiters and traffickers 

in this context are themselves in a situation 

of vulnerability, as others exploit and traffic vulnerable 

people as a form of war profiteering. In addition, 

a multitude of child protection issues arise in the 

context of the conflict and the refugee crisis, particularly 

children remaining out of school and not 

having birth registration, placing them more at risk 

of being trafficked.


19 


General Vulnerabilities arising from Syrian War 

Humanitarian 

situation 

Legal status 

Lack of migration 

alternatives 

Child protection incl. child 

labour + early marriages 

Vulnerability to trafficking in persons 

Discrimination + sexual 

and gender-based violence 

Impoverishment 

Lack of income 

Survival sex + other 

in-kind transactions 

Gaps in antitrafficking 

response 

Poor working 

conditions 

Lack of access to 

services 

Desperation of some 

exploiters 

Impact on host 

communities 

Trafficking cases 

Armed Conflict 

Domestic Servitude 

Sexual Exploitation 

Forced Marriage 

Labour Exploitation 

The war and displacement have also caused added 

vulnerability for migrants and refugees whose situation 

was already precarious prior to 2011 and who 

were in Syria when the war broke out, including: Palestinian 

refugees from Syria; Iraqi refugees; Stateless 

people; Refugees of other origins, particularly from 

Afghanistan, Sudan and Somalia; and migrant domes 

tic workers from South and Southeast Asia and 

East Africa. 

A risk is that internal movement facilitation 

or migrant smuggling can develop into 

trafficking in persons 

Some refugees and displaced people have started to 

move on to countries outside the region, particularly 

EU Member States. While they are still within the five 

countries under study, the need to pay substantial 

sums of money - and possibly become indebted - to 

facilitators of internal movement and migrant smugglers 

is causing people to resort to risky methods of 

obtaining that money, rendering them vulnerable to 

trafficking. One major risk is that a situation of internal 

movement facilitation or migrant smuggling can de velop 

into one of trafficking in persons. 

There is no significant increase in the 

identification of trafficked people by the 

authorities 

The effects of the war and refugee crisis, placing people 

in a situation of increased vulnerability to trafficking 

in persons, have in some cases resulted in actual 

trafficking cases. This has not, manifested itself in a 

significant increase in the identification by the authorities 

of trafficking related to the war and refugee crisis.


20 


“… but the most common type of exploitation is 

at a lower level, involving fathers, mothers, 

husbands, extended family, acquaintances and 

neighbours.” 

People officially identified as trafficked in the countries 

under study since 2011 are mainly from Syria, 

North Africa, South and Southeast Asia and Eastern 

Europe. Also, in Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq, 

national citizens were identified as trafficked internally. 

Most of the trafficking routes originating outside 

of the region continued largely unaffected by 

the Syrian War. 

The research shows that the five countries under 

study have made significant efforts to respond to 

the displacement of IDPs and refugees. However, 

the incidence of trafficking in persons, and the 

nature and extent of vulnerabilities to trafficking, 

have been affected in a number of ways. These 

effects are partly related to the sheer magnitude 

of the displacement and partly to the legal, policy, 

infrastructural, security and socio-economic 

contexts in these five countries. 

The most common type of exploitation involves 

family members, acquaintances and neighbours. 

The classic organised crime paradigm commonly 

used for understanding trafficking does not fit 

neatly onto the actual situation of people trafficked 

or vulnerable to trafficking in the context of the 

Syrian conflict. Very severe forms of exploitation 

and trafficking are indeed taking place, committed 

by highly organised criminal networks, but the 

most common type of exploitation is at a lower 

level, involving fathers, mothers, husbands, 

extended family, acquaintances and neighbours. 

Child labour and child begging have been affected 

in the sense that conditions have become more 

severe, with more serious abuses of children’s rights. 

The incidence of these phenomena has also 

increased overall. 

In most of the cases revealed through this re s earch, 

trafficking is not a cross-border phenomenon re lat ed 

to the migratory movement itself, though cross-border 

trafficking is present in some cases. 

In gen eral, the forms of trafficking in evidence target 

the vulnerabilities caused by displacement post facto, 

with the trafficking process beginning when IDPs 

and refugees are already among host communities. 

Some forms of trafficking have emerged that are 

directly related to the war. This is the case for trafficking 

by Da’ish (ISIS) for sexual slavery, forced 

marriage and exploitation in armed conflict; and 

forced marriage and exploitation in armed conflict 

by other parties in the Syrian war. Nevertheless, 

not all forms of human trafficking have been influenced 

by the Syrian crisis. Indeed, the trafficking of 

migrants — most of them women — for exploitation 

in domestic servitude continues, and was only 

marginally affected by the refugee crisis in host 

countries. Even within Syria, since the start of the 

conflict in 2011, some migrant workers continue 

to be exploited in domestic servitude. 

Worsening forms of child labour, child trafficking for 

labour exploitation, exploitation through begging, 

and trafficking for sexual exploitation affected peo - 

ple in the countries under study before the war, but 

have now increased among Syrians. Particularly in 

the case of sexual exploitation, a certain replacement 

effect is in evidence, with Syrian women and 

girls exploited in prostitution, where before people 

trafficked for this purpose were of other nationalities.


21 


The primary focus is prevention 

of trafficking 

Because anti-trafficking capacities are significantly 

affected by the ongoing war and related conflicts in 

Syria and Iraq, and because the hosting countries 

are overwhelmed with the arrival of large groups of 

people fleeing Syria, ICMPD’s recommendations 

primarily address vulnerabilities to trafficking. The 

primary focus is therefore prevention of trafficking. 

However, the protection of trafficked people and the 

prosecution of perpetrators is also a central concern, 

and recommendations in this sense are also included. 

Policymakers and practitioners should therefore 

address low-level trafficking by family members and 

acquaintances, as well as by organised criminal 

groups, and identify trafficking among refugees and 

provide protection to refugees who are trafficked. 

They should also address forms of trafficking directly 

related to the war and incorporate internal trafficking 

into anti-trafficking policy and initiatives. It is simi 

lar ly important to identify and respond to labour 

exploitation. 

In order to make this feasible, legal chan nels for 

settlement outside the region should be signifi cantly 

expanded, combined with investment in infrastructure 

and services in Syria’s neighbouring 

coun tries. Children are particularly in need of birth 

registration and access to schooling, while for women 

and girls, it is essential to combat gender-based 

dis crimination and reduce the risk of sexual and 

gender-based violence. Particularly in areas where 

there are high numbers of Syrians, the vulner abilities 

of host communities should also be addressed. 

By implementing these recommendations, we can 

contribute to reducing people’s vulnerability and 

increasing their resilience. We need to offer them 

alternatives that are not merely the ‘least bad option’, 

and provide them with what they need in order to 

better cope with the ravages of violence and 

displacement. 

In terms of the general situation of Syrian refugees, 

hosting countries and donors should also provide 

access to regular employment and regularisation of 

legal status, and guarantee sufficient funding and fair 

distribution of aid, including for non-camp refugees 

and IDPs. 

The study Targeting Vulnerabilities: The Impact of the Syrian War and Refugee Situation 

on Trafficking in Persons – A Study of Syria, Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq is the result 

of a research project: ‘Assessment of the Impact of the Syrian War and Refugee Crisis on 

Trafficking in Persons (AIS-TIP)’. The project was funded by the US Department of State 

Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) and implemented by ICMPD. 

The study can be downloaded in full, together with a Briefing Paper and Policy Brief based 

on the study, in English, Arabic, Turkish and Iraqi Kurdish.


22 


Valletta Summit 

on Migration 

Speech by Michael Spindelegger, Director General elect, 

ICMPD Valletta, 12 November, 2015 

Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, 

colleagues and friends: 

This September the world came together in New 

York to adopt the new UN Sustainable Development 

Goals, which for the first time acknowledge the key 

role migration plays for global development. 

At the same time, we have experienced the highest 

number of displacement since the Second World 

War, causing frightening numbers of migrants losing 

their lives trying to reach their destination and also 

giving way to growing anxieties in the countries 

affected. These coinciding two developments makes 

it so plainly clear that we need to effectively address 

both dimensions of international migration: 

1. Its fundamental contribution to development and 

prosperity of countries of origin and destination as 

well as of the migrants themselves 

2. The more immediate concerns of protection, 

safety and security. 

Therefore it is imperative to overcome the dichotomy 

of more or less migration and think in terms of better 

migration. 

We have come together here in Valletta to ensure 

the ability of governments to effectively manage 

migra tion and to overcome our current crisis mode. 

We need to formulate a global response to the 

per sis ting dysfunctionality of the international migration 

system. Only then will we be able to make 

inter na tional migra tion the positive force it can be. 

Let Valletta be that turning point. 

There is no single country that can adequately and 

effectively manage migration alone. Africa needs 

Europe and Europe needs Africa, and we have to 

recognise each other’s specific circumstances, 

priorities and requirements. 

ICMPD therefore welcomes the agreement to make 

good use of the existing multi-lateral structures and 

frameworks of cooperation — especially the Rabat 

and Khartoum Processes as well as the Africa-EU 

migration partnership. We should further strengthen 

their scopes and boost their abilities to implement 

concrete actions. 

The Valletta programme has made the subject of 

root causes of displacement and irregular migration 

a core feature and emphasises the development 

benefits of migration, which I very much welcome. 

It must be clear however that results will take time, 

and I am afraid that there are no shortcuts. 

We need to engage together — Europe and Africa — 

in an unparalleled effort of practical and operational 

cooperation. We need to substantially upscale initiatives 

and move beyond the mere piloting of ideas. 

A coherent and comprehensive set of policies is 

essential. However this alone is not sufficient: What 

we also need now is delivery coherence: a set of 

common objectives and goals, agreed actions, a clear 

delivery framework, dedicated resources and a ro 

bust monitoring system and communication strat egy. 

Only by pooling our resources and efforts and translating 

them into concrete joint actions will we be able 

to make real and tangible progress on the ground.


23 


The EU Emergency Trust Fund (for stability and 

addressing the root causes of irregular migration 

and displaced persons in Africa) could be just the 

tool we need: one that provides the required funds 

for flexible, speedy and efficient delivery on the 

Action Plan, the tool for delivery coherence that will 

make a real impact, building upon and upscaling 

existing programmes and initiatives. I am confident 

that the measures of the Action Plan paired with the 

Trust Fund will take us in this direction. 

In order to achieve a tangible impact, we need to: 

Make migration the enabler for socio-economic 

development, for instance via closer links to 

the diaspora. 

Include questions of displacement more robustly 

when addressing instability, crisis and conflict. 

Promote legal migration and mobility within and 

between our two continents: legal migration 

needs to become a real option for migrants. 

Make international protection and asylum work 

effectively in solidarity and as a shared responsbility 

both within and between Africa and Europe. 

Smugglers and traffickers will try to undermine 

our goals. 

Need to prevent and fight irregular migration, 

smuggling and trafficking in human beings. 

Let’s work more closely in sharing information and 

intelligence, step up operational cooperation — and 

importantly, let’s invest in systems and capacities 

for effective integrated border management. 

The task ahead is long and complex. We will ex pe rience 

set-backs and frustration. There is, however, 

simply no alternative. We need to pursue our goals in 

a persistent and determined manner. And because 

of the long-term perspective, we need to ensure that 

we are better able to explain what we are doing. 

The wider public needs to draw confidence from our 

ability to manage migration. 

There fore an essential flanking measure is the est ablish 

ment of a robust monitoring system that shows 

our progress in the implementation of our policies. 

ICMPD will invest its efforts in delivering on the Valletta 

objectives. Concretely, ICMPD will play its part in 

mak ing sure that the EU Migration and Mobility Dialogue 

initiative (MMD) will assume its central role 

in effec tively supporting the Rabat and Khartoum 

Frame works in their follow-up work, particularly 

through the so-called MMD Facility, that is resourced 

with € 10 million for concrete technical assistance 

and capacity building actions, some of which feature 

prominently in the Action Plan. Importantly, diaspora 

engagement will be supported through the MMD 

initiative as well. 

In doing so — Excellencies, friends — ICMPD will 

do its share to ensure that Valletta will be the longaspired 

turning point, the biggest possible enabler 

for our collaboration. It is time to make migration 

better, ‘to facilitate orderly, safe, regular and responsible 

migration and mobility of people, including 

through the implementation of planned and wellmanaged 

migration policies’ as it was laid down this 

September in the Sustainable Development Goals. 

Thank you. 

I am fully aware of the sensitivity and complexity 

of the subject, however, we have to find a common 

ground and understanding when it comes to the 

issue of return and readmission. A migration system 

will remain incomplete if it does not contain pro visions 

for those that do not qualify or have the right 

to remain on the territory of a state. Who if not this 

Summit could build the required consensus on how 

to address return and read-mission in a way that 

ensures and respects the rights and dignity of 

returnees and is capable of reinforcing our efforts 

to create orderly migration.


24 24 

ICMPD 

Projects 

2015


25 25 

Asylum 

Sharing of Medical Country 

of Origin Information, further 

cooperation with collecting 

new Med COI, extra training 

of national authorities officials 

aimed on the collection and 

usage of Med COI (III + IV); 

Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, 

Germany, Denmark, 

Finland, Ireland, Netherlands, 

Norway, Sweden, United 

King dom, Switzerland 

Assistance to Manage 

Internal Displacement in 

Ukraine – AMID-UA 

Migration 

Dialogues 

South 

Mediterranean City-to-City 

Migration Profiles and 

Dialogue 

Support to Africa-EU Migration 

and Mobility Dialogue (MMD) 

Comparative Research on 

the State Practices on the 

Accessibility of Medical 

Treatment and/or Medication in 

Countries of Origin (REMEDA) 

2015 Asylum Programme for 


Research on the educational 

and professional qualification 

of asylum seekers in Austria – 

EQUAS 

Survey on the educational and 

professional qualifications of 

asylum seekers in Austria and 

on the motives for the choice 

of destination country - 

EQUAS PLUS 

Multi- 

Thematic 

Migration EU Expertise II - 

Providing short-term capacity 

building to third countries in all 

areas of migration 

management; Global 

Migrants in Countries in Crisis 

(MICIC); Global 

Support to the development 

of institutional capacity of the 

Directorate General for 

Migration Management of 

Turkey – (DGMM Phase II) 

EUROMED Migration III + IV; 

Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, 

Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, 

Palestinian Territories, Syria, 

Tunisia 

Migration 

Dialogues East 

Support to the Silk Routes 

Partnership for Migration 

under the Budapest Process 

Support for the Implementtion 

of the Prague Process 

Action Plan 

Prague Process Targeted 

Initiative Project (2012 – 2016) 

Border 

Management 

and Visa 

Evaluation External Border 

Funds Switzerland (AGF CH) 

Supporting the Republic of 

Belarus in Addressing Irregular 

Migration and Promoting 

Human Rights of Vulnerable 

Migrants (AMBEL) 

Provision of Equipment and 

Infrastructure for the Bagratashen-Sadakhlo 

Border Cross 

ing Point between Armenia 

and Georgia and Enhancement 

of their Capacities (BSIBM)


26 26 

Eastern Partnership 

(EaP)-Integrated Border 

Management — Capacity 

Building Project (CaBuiPro); 

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 

Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine 

Better coordination of protetion 

of the land border be tween 

Georgia and Azerbaijan 

(GAIBM) 

Providing high-quality studies 

to support activities under the 

Eastern Partnership (EaP); 

Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, 

Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine 

Developing National Capability 

for Integrated Border Management 

in Lebanon (IBM Lebanon) 

Dutch Support: Developing 

National Capability for Integrated 

Border Manage ment in 

Lebanon(IBM Lebanon NL) 

Support to Creation of an 

Electronic System of Prearrival 

Information Exchange 

between the Customs Authorities 

of Belarus and Ukraine 

(PRINEX) 

Eastern Partnership Co op eration 

in the Fight against 

Irregular Migration- Supporting 

the Implementation of the 

Prague Process Action Plan 

(SIPPAP) 

Strengthening the Surveillance 

Capacity on the Green and 

Blue Border between the Republic 

of Belarus and Ukraine 

(SURCAP) 

Strengthening surveillance 

and bilateral coordination 

capacity along the common 

border between Belarus and 

Ukraine (SURCAP Phase II) 

Support Programme to the 

Government of Tunisia in the 

areas of Integrated Border 

Management (IBM Tunisia) 

Border Management and 

Border Communities in the 

SAHEL Region (BM Sahel) 

Border Management 

Programme in Central Asia 

– Phase 9 (BOMCA) 

Legal Migration 

and Integration 

Enhancing Georgia’s 

Migration Management 

(ENIGMMA) 

Development of Joint 

Principles, Procedures and 

Standards on the Integration 

of Immigrants, with specific 

focus on Labor Immigrants, 

between the Russian 

Federation and European 

partners in the context of the 

Prague Process Action Plan 

(ERIS) 

Migration & 

Development 

Sessiz Destek - Support of 

a Development-sensitive and 

Coherent Turkish Migration 

Policy Framework 

Africa - Europe 

Development Platform 

(AEDP) – Transition Project 

FMM West Africa (Support 

to Free Movement of Persons 

and Migration in West Africa) 

Link Up! Feasibility 

Study - Financing Diaspora 

Entrepreneurship 

Mandat “Unterstützung 

und Beratung zugunsten des 

Globalprogramms Migration 

und Entwicklung” (SDC 

Backstopping Mandate)

ICMPD Annual Report 2015 27 27 

Irregular 

Migration 

and Return 

Supporting the Republic 

of Moldova to implement the 

EU-Moldova Action Plan on 

Visa Liberalisation (Fighting 

Irregular Migration in Moldova) 

Forced Return Monitoring 

(FReM); Austria, Bulgaria, 

Greece, Hungary, 

Luxembourg, Malta, Portugal, 

Switzerland 

Post-Arrival Assistance to 

Ukrainian Nationals Returning 

from the Netherlands (PAA 

2013 – UKR) 

Post-Arrival Assistance to 

Ukrainian Nationals Returning 

from the Netherlands 

(PAA-AMIF) 

Research 

FastPass: A harmonized, 

modular reference system for 

all European automatic border 

crossing points; pilot sites: 

Romania, Austria, Greece 

Betreuungs- und Pflegebedarf 

älterer MigrantInnen: Bedarfsabschätzung 

und Herausforderungen 

(BEMIG); Austria 

Addressing demand in anti - 

trafficking efforts and policies 

(DemandAT); EU, US, Brazil, 

Nigeria, Qatar, Malaysia, New 

Zealand 

Study on smuggling of migrants: 

characteristics, responses and 

cooperation with third 

countries; Bulgaria, Egypt, 

Ethiopia, FYROM, Greece, 

Hungary, Italy, Libya, Malta, 

Nigeria, Pakistan, Syria, Turkey 

Integration, Transnational 

Mobility and Human, Social 

and Economic Capital Transfers 

(ITHACA); Austria, Spain, Italy, 

UK, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

India, Mauritania, Philippines, 

Ukraine 

Pilotstudie – Integrationsverläufe 

von Neuzuwander- 

Innen (LEGINT); Austria 

Trafficking in 

Human Beings 

Assessment of the Impact of 

the Syrian War and Refugee 

Crisis on Trafficking in Persons 

(AIS-TIP); Syria, Lebanon, 

Jordan, Iraq, Turkey 

Persons at Risk of Trafficking 

in Europe – capacity to identify 

and assist potential victims of 

human trafficking (PROTECT); 

Croatia, United Kingdom 

International Collaboration to 

Reduce Labour Exploitation – 

Meeting of Central and East 

European Labour Inspectorate 

Representatives 

Fight against Trafficking in 

Human Beings and Organised 

Crime – Phase 2 (THB/IFS/2); 

Albania, Azerbaijan, Bosnia 

and Herzegovina, Moldova, 

Pakistan, Turkey 

Migrações Transfronteiriças’: 

strengthening the capacity of 

the Brazilian Federal 

Government to manage new 

migratory flows (MT Brazil) 

Meeting of National Coordinators 

from Central and South 

Eastern Europe; Albania, UK, 

Aus tria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech 

Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, 

Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, 

Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, 

Slovakia, Romania, UK 

Development of a Transntional 

Referral Mechanism 

for Sweden (SE-TRM) 

Bulgarian-Swiss Joint Efforts 

for Providing Immediate and 

Unconditional Protection of 

Trafficked Persons and Pre - 

venting Trafficking in Humanbeings 

(BG/Swiss/Animus) 

Swiss-Bulgarian 

Cooperation on Identification 

and Long -Term Assistance of 

Children and Adults Victims 

of Trafficking in Human Beings 

(BG/ NATCOM)


28 

Research Unit 

Evidence and 

Reflection: Policies, 

Programmes and 

the Fundamentals of 

Forward-looking 

Policies 

Policymakers turn to scientific evidence to prepare 

policies and assess their impact. Scientific research 

also provides important input for the policy process 

independent from any questions that may be posed 

by policymakers, thus encouraging critical reflection 

and long-term thinking. Studies conducted by ICMPD 

in 2015 reflect these complementary roles of research. 

Ensuring the availability of the best possible evidence 

is an important objective in itself. At ICMPD 

this has translated into a long-standing involvement 

in relevant efforts to improve statistical data collection 

on migration and integration. In regard to integration 

information on developments over time, data 

is crucial but often lacking. Research completed in 

2015 has investigated different options to monitor 

and better understand migrants’ individual integration 

trajectories over time. 

Care and migration are largely discussed in terms 

of migrants as care workers. However, aging migrants 

are themselves an important group of persons 

in need of care. A recent case study on care 

and support of elderly migrants shows that service 

providers in countries of destination are not sufficiently 

prepared for this group’s specific care needs. 

For example, dementia often results in the loss of 

languages acquired after childhood, raising challenges 

for care providers. The study shows that this could 

be avoided by more customised care systems. 

In policy debates about integration there is often the 

assumption of a contradiction between migrants’ 

engagement in their countries of origin and their 

successful integration in the destination country. 

The ITHACA study in which ICMPD was involved


29 

Research Unit 

Countries 

we and our 

project 

partners 

worked in: 

Austria, 

Belgium, 

Bosnia & 

Herzegovina, 

Brazil, 

Cyprus, 

Czech 

Republic, 

France, 

Germany, 

Greece, 

Hong Kong, 

Italy, 

Malaysia, 

Netherlands, 

New 

Zealand, 

Nigeria, 

Portugal, 

Qatar, 

Romania, 

Sweden, 

Switzerland, 

UK, USA 

provides evidence to the contrary and shows that 

migrants have the potential to engage in a variety 

of ways and in several societies. Reducing barriers 

and obstacles to do so would support migrants’ 

transnational economic, political, civic and humanitarian 

engagement and help build bridges at all 

levels and in various societies, simultaneously. 

Clarity over concepts and definitions is important for 

any meaningful policy making. According to inter national 

law, states should address the demand side 

of trafficking in human beings. However, there is no 

agreed definition of demand in the context of THB, 

nor of demand-side measures. DemandAT, a multipartner 

project led by ICMPD, suggests limiting the 

notion of demand to a market context and measures 

that try to influence consumers of goods and services. 

Automated Border Control system 

ICMPD conducted case studies of existing Automated Border Control (ABC) systems 

and is undertaking an analysis of the fundamental rights implications of such systems.


30 

Dialogues 


Migration 

Dialogues East: 

Participating states 

Observer states 

Members 

52 participating and 6 observer states 

Chair: Turkey (since 2006; Co-Chair 2003-2006) 

Co-Chair: Hungary (since 2006; Chair 1993-2006) 

Working Groups on the Silk Routes Region, 

the Southeast European Region, and the Black Sea Region


31 

Dialogues 

Fostering Cooperation with 

the Silk Routes Countries 

Since its establishment in 1993, the Budapest 

Process (BP) has evolved from a consultative forum 

for migration between European countries in a 

pre-EU setting to a far-reaching European-Asian 

forum for improving migration management. Initially, 

the Budapest Process focused on cooperation 

among Western, Central, Eastern, and Southeast 

European countries. Roughly a decade later, the 

Eastern Partnership countries, Russia, and Central 

Asia joined the dialogue. In 2010, the Budapest 

Process directed its focus further eastwards on a 

compre hensive migration dialogue with the Silk 

Routes Region — Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, 

and Pakistan. This geographic focus was reaffirmed 

in 2013 with establishment of the Silk Routes Partnership 

for Migration and the adoption of the Istanbul 

Ministerial Declaration. The current objective is to 

promote further dialogue and mutual cooperation in 

managing migration flows along the Silk Routes. 

Translating the Political Commitments 

of the Silk Routes Partnership into 

Concrete Actions and Cooperation 

During the third year of its implementation, the 

Budapest Process — Silk Routes Partnership for 

Migration focused on the topics of irregular mi gration, 

human trafficking, and the links between migration 

and development. Meeting in Islamabad, participating 

countries identified raising awareness on the dan gers 

and consequences of irregular migration as an utmost 

priority for the Silk Routes Region. Enhancing regional 

law enforcement cooperation to effectively fight 

migration-related organised crime was furthermore 

emphasised. In Dhaka, countries highlighted that 

strengthening the positive impact of migration on 

development was crucial for both countries of origin 

and desti nation and should be catered for equally 

by both. 

The Silk Routes Partnership Project reflected these 

priorities through several capacity building activities. 

Two pilot initiatives were launched: one to raise 

awareness about the consequences of irregular 

migration and establish Migration Information 

Centres in Pakistan, the other to enhance regional 

law enforcement cooperation between Turkey 

and the Silk Routes countries. 

The effects of crisis on migration management in 

the face of an increasingly challenging migration and 

refugee situation in the region were addressed at a 

Black Sea Region Working Group meeting in Sofia. 

The Budapest Process increased in significance in 

the last year. In numerous EU communication and 

policy documents, it is regarded as a key platform in 

upholding the dialogue engendering cooperation on 

sustainable solutions between countries of origin, 

transit, and destination. 


In 2014–2017 the Budapest Process implements the project Support to the Silk Routes 

Partnership for Migration. Capacity building activities are combined with information 

management and policy development. Two pilot projects focus on raising awareness 

concerning the consequences of irregular migration in Pakistan and regional law 

enforcement cooperation.


32 

Dialogues 



In the sixth year of its existence, the Prague Process, 

a recognised platform for intergovernmental dialogue 

on migration among fifty countries (EU+, Eastern 

Partnership, Central Asia, Western Balkans, Russia 

and Turkey) and the key process for the im plemen tation 

of GAMM towards the East, continued with the 

implementation of the Action Plan 2012–2016 through 

the EU-funded Prague Process Targeted Initiative 

(PP TI). ICMPD, as Secretariat of the Process, supported 

its leading states — Czech Republic, Germany, 

Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Sweden — 

in the implementation of selected priorities and further 

development of knowledge bases containing 

migration profiles and the i-Map. 

In addition to expert and policy-level dialogue, work 

on the knowledge base, and implementation of 

three pilot projects on the identification of irregular 

migrants, student mobility, and quality decision 

making in the asylum process, the Secretariat coordinated 

with the Prague Process umbrella projects 

ERIS, EaP SIPPAP, and the EaP Panel on Migration 

and Asylum. The external evaluation of the Process 

carried out in 2015 pro vided with positive results, 

paving the way for the future. 


During its EU Presidency, Slovakia will host the 3rd Prague Process Ministerial 

Conference in Bratislava on 19-20 September 2016. This high-level event will set 

the objectives for years 2017–2021.


33 

Dialogues 

Migration 

Dialogues South: 


The EUROMED Migration initiative is the flagship 

framework of the European Commission Direc - 

torate General Neighborhood and Enlargement 

Negotia tions (NEAR) for the Mediterranean region. 

After leading the third phase of this initiative from 

2012 to 2015, ICMPD was entrusted with leading 

EUROMED Migration through its fourth phase 

(2016 to 2019). 



EUROMED Migration placed inter-institutional 

co operation and coordination, defined as the 

fundamental element of successful migration 

governance, at the centre of its focus. It assists 

a number of coun tries, including Algeria, Jordan, 

Palestine, and others, in launching a migration 

governance process and will also support the 

modernisation of migration governance through 

the use of modern methodologies and technology 

such as the Migration Governance Tool, the 

Migration Dashboard and the interactive map on 

migration (i-Map). 

Despite being important regions of origin of migration, 

Europe and the Middle East and North Africa 

regions tend to share a common, somewhat negative 

perception of migration. Therefore, EUROMED 

Migration IV will also include a special focus on 

developing a balanced and more positive narrative 

concerning migration. 


EUROMED Migration IV also invests in the future. Over the coming four years, 

around thirty students and junior officials will be trained to become professionals 

of migration governance.


34 

Dialogues 

Rabat Process 

For a decade, the partners of this Dialogue have 

been meeting regularly to have a genuine dialogue 

regarding questions raised by the region’s migra tory 

challenges. Five principles, defined by the Dakar 

Strategy (2011), express the partner countries common 

desire to “approach migration issues in a 

balanced way, in the spirit of shared responsibility”: 

1. Working dialogue 

2. A flexible and balanced approach 

3. Coherent dialogue 

4. Committed partners 

5. Shared responsibility 

Since 2014, the policy framework of the Rabat 

Process has been the Rome Declaration and 

Programme 2014–2017. It added international 

protection as a fourth thematic pillar and placed 

emphasis on two of these priorities: the link 

between migration and development, and the 

prevention of and fight against irregular migra - 

tion and related crimes. 

ICMPD supports the Rabat Process by orga niz - 

ing and facilitating key meetings and sharing 

its knowledge and expertise relevant to the var - 

i ous topics and policy areas of the Process. 

In 2015, the Rabat Process partners met for a 

Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) in Porto in order to 

discuss the Valletta Summit results. They adopted 

the Porto Monitoring Plan (PMP), piloted by the 

Support Project, to monitor the Valletta Action Plan. 



Partner states until 2014 

The Steering Committee (‘Comité de Pilotage’) of the Rabat Process is comprised of the 

following countries and organisations: Belgium, Burkina Faso, the European Commission, 

the Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS), Equatorial Guinea, France, 

Italy, Mali, Morocco, Portugal, Senegal and Spain


35 

Dialogues 

Mediterranean 

Transit Migration (MTM) 

The Mediterranean Transit Migration (MTM) dialogue 

is a framework focused mainly on exploring innova tive 

ways and means to address the complex diversity 

of migration governance. Since 2015, Mediterranean 

City-to-City Migration (MC2CM) has been bringing 

together new key stakeholders concerning migration, 

that are also major urban areas. In an increasingly 

urbanised world where by mid-century more than 

70% of people are expected to live in cities, migration 

movements will strongly contribute to this growth. 

Subsequently, migration governance must increasingly 

become multi-levelled. Both central and local 

governments will play a major role in ensuring that 

migration is a positive contributor to stability, develop 

ment, and prosperity. 

To address the challenges such development 

dynam ics entail, ICMPD established a unique 

partnership with the United Cities and Local 

Government (UCLG), UN-Habitat and UNHCR. 

With the support of the European Commission 

and the Swiss Development Agency, the cities 

of Amman, Beirut, Lisbon, Lyon, Madrid, Tangiers, 

Tunis, Turin, and Vienna are actively sharing 

knowledge and experience, developing ideas, 

and helping shape the future of cooperation 

on migration among cities in the Mediterranean. 


Mediterranean Transit Migration (MTM) 

In 2016, city migration profiles will highlight the role of migration in urban development. 

Hosted on the i-Map, they will enrich the platform and complement both national and 

migration route profiles.


36 

Dialogues 

Khartoum Process 

The Khartoum Process (EU-Horn of Africa Migration 

Route Initiative) is the newest of the EU-African Migration 

Dialogues established at the Ministerial Conference 

in Rome at the end of 2014. The Process 

pro vides a platform for consultation and coordination 

through dialogue between Africa and the EU on antitrafficking 

and human smuggling in the Horn of Africa. 

It thus fosters a common understanding of the challenges 

posed by human trafficking and the smug gling 

of migrants, encouraging opportunities for partnership 

and shared responsibility and cooperation 

through the implementation of concrete projects. 

ICMPD provides support to the Secretariat (European 

Commission and African Union Commission) of the 

Khartoum Process by organizing and facilitating key 

meetings and sharing its knowledge and relevant exper 

tise regarding the varied policy areas and themes 

of the Process. 

In this vein, the Khartoum Process has had several 

key meetings since its launch. A particular impetus 

was given by the 2015 Valletta Summit and its resulting 

Declaration and Action Plan, which outlines key 

priorities for Africa and the EU concerning migration 

more broadly. 

In 2016, the Process will hold a meeting in Khartoum 

on the theme of people smuggling, followed by 

a meeting on the topic of legal migration (including 

visa facilitation) later in the year. 


The Steering Committee (‘Comité de Pilotage’) of the Khartoum Process is comprised 

of the following countries: Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, France, Germany, Italy, Malta, South 

Sudan, Sudan, and the United Kingdom


37 


International Protection: 

2015, a Turning Point 

for the Global and 

European Protection 

Regime? 

The tragic deaths of asylum seekers and 

migrants en route to safety in the EU 

stunned Europe in 2015, while the arrival 

of unprecedented flows of migrants and 

refugees put the functioning of the Common 

European Asylum System (CEAS) at stake. 

These developments shaped, to a large 

extent, the ICMPD’s asylum portfolio in 2015. 

A “Refugee Crisis”? 

Since 2014, with the increasing flow of migrants and 

refugees, ICMPD has been actively involved in the 

debate on different levels, engaging its member 

states in discussions on responsibility sharing in the 

European context. During this time, the Asylum 

Programme has analysed, through research papers 

and roundtable exchanges among member state 

representatives, various responsibility-sharing tools, 

distribution keys, and recast CEAS instruments. 

In reaction to the tragic deaths at sea in April 2015 

and against the background of further increasing 

flows, the EC tabled the European Agenda on Migration. 

Its relocation and resettlement scheme defined 

the framework of further exchange in the framework 

of ICMPD’s Asylum Programme (complemented by 

the exchange among ICMPD member states on 

push and pull factors) and proposed a roundtable 

discussion on mass influx, smuggling, and the situation 

in the countries along the Western Balkan migration 

route. The composition of ICMPD member states 

proved crucial for a suc cessful debate involving not 

only EU member states but also countries along the 

Western Balkan route. 

ICMPD’s role in the context of the mass influx of mi - 

grants and refugees in 2015 was to provide a platform 

for our member states’ policymakers to exchange 

information on migratory trends, map developments, 

and complement the public debate. ICMPD published 

an updated paper on responsibility sharing, and 

various blog posts, mapping lessons learned and 

various EU and EU member state policies created in 

response to the so-called ‘refugee crisis’.


38 


Large scale arrivals and beyond 

Besides the task of hosting arriving refugees, EU member 

states are increasingly posing questions regarding 

their potential integration, inter alia, into the labour 

market. ‘What is the labour market potential?’, 

‘What skills and qualifications are asylum seekers 

and refugees bringing?’, and ‘How can this potential 

best be used to the benefit of the persons concerned 

and the host society?’ are only some of the questions 

that require more insight. In a pilot research study, 

ICMPD analysed possible tools to assess the qualifications 

of asylum seekers arriving in Austria with 

regard to their educational, language, and profession 

al skills. The pilot assessment led to preliminary 

results that will be researched further in 2016, based 

on interviews with asylum seekers.In recent years, 

officials have been receiving many claims based on 

medical grounds in asylum and other EU member 

state migration procedures. Since 2010, ICMPD has 

been a partner on a project that facilitates EU member 

states’ exchange of medical country of origin 

information among EU Member States. To tackle the 

lacuna of comparable information on EU member 

state policies in this specific area, The Netherlands 

commissioned ICMPD to carry out comparative 

research on state practices dealing with medical 

migration cases, which re vealed an increasing trend 

of medical claims in EU member states and a wide 

variety of national policies and practices. 

Outside the EU 

Furthermore, we are involved in assisting Ukrainian 

authorities to address internal displacement and 

supporting other ICMPD programmes to set up COI 

units in Georgia and Turkey, and train migration 

services and border agencies on protection-related 

issues in Georgia, Turkey, Lebanon, the Mediterranean, 

and the Western Balkan region. 

Who came 

to europe in 2015? 

Asylum applicants (2015) 

as share of the total EU 

population (estimate): 

Countries of origin 

of asylum applicants in the EU in 

2015. ‘Others’ include, among others: 

Pakistan, Eritrea, Nigeria, and Iran. 

0.26% 

EU population 

Asylum applicants 

Syria (29%) 

Afghanistan (14%) 

Iraq (10%) 

Kosovo (5%) 

Albania (5%) 

Others (37%) 

This equals 1,321,600 persons in total, or 

1 asylum seeker per 400 inhabitants


39 


Policy responses by the EU 

13 May 

EC: European Agenda 

on Migration 

saving lives, hotspots, relocation 

Operations ‘Triton’ and ‘Poseidon’ 

Proposal for relocation and resettlement 

‘Hotspot’ approach 

EUR 60 million for front-line EU states 

EUR 30 million for North Africa and 

the Horn of Africa 

9 September 

EC: Second Implementation Package 

quota, safe countries of origin, 

addressing root causes 

Relocation of 120,000 refugees within Europe 

+ permanent crisis relocation mechanism 

Common list of safe countires of origin 

Action plan on return, return handbook 

Addressing the external dimension of the crisis: 

EUR 1.8 billion Trust Fund for Africa 

2015 2016 

27 May 

EC: First Implementation Package 

emergency relocation, resettlement, 

fight against smuggling 

Emergency response mechanism to assist Italy and 

Greece Relocation of 40,000 refugees within the EU 

Resettlement of 20,000 refugees from outside Europe 

Action plan against migrant smuggling 

End of 2015 

EU: Managing the Crisis 

return, EU-Turkey cooperation, 

resettlement 

Proposal for new travel documents for return 

Sweden requests opt-out from EU relocation mechanism 

EU-Turkey action plan agreement includes resettlement, 

and EUR 3 billion financial support 

Responses 

on a national level 

2015 was marked by heated debates 

over responsibility-sharing and the distribution 

of asylum seekers in Europe. 

This led to policy reforms at the national 

level in several countries. 

EU Member States marked in orange 

plan to or have already amended their 

asylum legislation in response to the 

large num ber of refugees and migrants 

arriving in Europe. 

In most cases, these changes mean 

tightening legislation and restrictions 

to the rights of asylum seekers.


40 


Human Trafficking: 

Balancing Protection 

and Prosecution 

Balancing victim protection and prosecution 

of traffickers is central to our work. In 2015, 

we engaged strongly in the fight against 

new forms of trafficking and exploitation. 

To better understand the protection needs of vulnerable 

groups at risk of trafficking, ICMPD conducted 

new research in 2015. Our study Targeting Vulner a bilities, 

conducted in Syria and its neighbouring countries, 

shed light on different forms of the exploitation 

of refugees. We found that Syrian refugees are often 

trafficked or exploited because they lack alternatives 

to meet their basic needs. Affected people, whatever 

their legal migration status, must not fall between the 

cracks of our protection frameworks. 

A victim-centred approach in combating human 

trafficking requires good national and transnational 

cooperation, interagency coordination and a multistakeholder 

approach to victim care. 

ICMPD con ducted assessments of national referral 

mecha nisms in Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina, 

and made recommendations on how to strengthen 

victim protection processes. We did similar work in 

Sweden, supporting government agencies in developing 

the first fully-fledged Transnational Referral 

Mechanism for victims. In Brazil, we developed 

guide lines and standard operating procedures for 

migrant assistance centres at their land borders 

and delivered training on victim identification and 

integration measures. 

At a regional level, ICMPD continued to serve as 

secretariat for the national anti-trafficking coordinators 

from Southeastern Europe, the so-called 

‘Brdo Process Group’. We supported cooperation 

and exchange of information between them by 

hosting their bi-annual meetings. 

Prosecuting Traffickers 

Our focus on the protection of vulnerable groups 

and trafficked people was balanced with our activities 

to develop the capacities and tools neces sary 

to effectively prosecute traffickers. 

One strategic tool in the fight against human 

trafficking, which identifies and prioritises crime


41 


Countries we 

worked in: 

“Victims of human trafficking, 

whatever their migration status, 

must not fall between the cracks 

of our protection frameworks.” 

Albania, 

Azerbaijan, 

Bosnia & 

Herzegovina, 

Brazil, 

Iraq, 

Jordan, 

Lebanon, 

Macedonia, 

Moldova, 

Nigeria and 

other West 

African 

countries, 

Pakistan, 

Romania, 

Southeast 

Europe, 

Sweden, 

Syria, 

Turkey, 

UK 

threats, is the Serious and Organised Crime Threat 

Assessment (SOCTA) report. In Moldova, we supported 

the drafting of the country’s first SOCTA on 

trafficking. 

This strategic level work was complemented with 

capacity building for frontline practitioners. We 

delivered specialised training to law enforcement 

officers around the globe and to one hundred 

members of the National Police Bureau in Pakistan 

alone. This is a group that had received very little 

training to date. 

In Europe, we worked alongside the UK authorities 

to coordinate a new network of European labour 

inspectors. We supported them in developing a draft 

action plan to strengthen European action against 

labour exploitation – an important step in the fight 

against trafficking in human beings. 

Bringing Southeastern National Anti-trafficking coordinators together 

Since 2010, ICMPD has acted as secretariat for all national anti-trafficking coordinators 

from Southeastern Europe. We were entrusted to support the work of the ‘Brdo Process 

Group’ thanks to our strong competence in this thematic area and our longterm cooperation 

with the countries from this region. We host the annual meetings of the group and 

facilitate the knowledge exchange and cooperation between all participating countries.


42 


Border Management: 

From Security to the 

Effective Management 

of Migration Flows 

Border management has traditionally been seen as 

merely a security issue. Our work shows, through several 

examples, that this is no longer an actuality. In the past 

year we witnessed a launch of several projects where 

border security is going hand in hand with other sectors 

and also serves as a tool for better management of 

migration flows. 

2015 was marked with an unexpected increase of 

migration flows across the external borders of the 

EU, increasing mobility of persons and goods as 

well as increased fear of terrorism and organised 

crime. Despite this, states need to ensure the right 

balance between open and, at the same time, secured 

and controlled borders. In this regard, we 

provided support to our partners in improving their 

border management capacities in particular and 

strengthening strategic and operational plan ning 

through a number of projects of a bilateral or regional 

nature. To this end, the concept of integrated 

border management (IBM) played a major role in 

our day-to-day activities in different regions of the 

world. A tailor-made approach enabled countries 

such as Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Tunisia, 

Lebanon, and the countries of Central Asia to prepare 

and draft national IBM strategies along with 

comprehensive action plans. Our belief in the 

utmost importance of education and training 

processes is reflected in our development of modern 

distance e-learning tools in the areas of integrated 

border management, risk analysis, standard operational 

procedures, document security, and trade facilitation. 

Countries of the European Eastern Partnership 

(EaP) made a milestone achievement in strengthening 

cooperation in training areas on a regional and multilateral 

basis by signing a memorandum on cooperation 

in the region and with selected EU member states 

in the training and education area. A regional approach 

is relevant to our work and one of the largest 

border management programmes – Border Management 

Programme Central Asia (BOMCA) – resumed 

its work in the region, where ICMPD, among others, 

provides a wide range of technical assistance to 

Central Asian border agencies. A number of efforts 

were directed to support partners in better management 

of the flows via border crossing points to shorten 

waiting times for traders, while at the same time 

increase security aspects. In particular, we assisted


43 


Countries of ICMPD´s Border Management Activities 

national experts in Lebanon preparing contingency 

planning at border crossing points with Syria – in the 

long term this will contribute to the effective management 

of people returning to Syria when the situation 

allows. With the raise of terrorist threats and 

appearance of foreign terrorist fighters, ICPMD´s 

Com petence Centre for Border Management & Visa 

(BMV) has started cooperation with the United 

Nations Counter-Terrorism Centre (UNCCT) to address 

new trends relevant to border management 

and state security. The importance of border man agement 

is reflected also in a number of border manage 

ment related activities under migration dialogues 

(Rabat Process and Budapest Process/The Silk Route) 

and multi-thematic projects such as one in Armenia 

where migration and border management are implemented 

under the umbrella of the Migration and 

Border Management in Armenia (MIBMA) project. 

Border management is no longer only a matter of 

one agency, as no single agency or country can deal 

with contemporary security threats. Our approach 

includes all relevant actors in border management, 

including civil society and border communities. In the 

Sahel region (Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauretania, 

and Niger), border communities and state border 

agencies play a significant role. Traditionally, border 

management was reserved exclusively for the latter, 

however with the introduction of a concept that aims 

to integrate several players at the borders where 

also other – equally important – actors have found 

their role and place in 2015.


44 


Irregular Migration 

and Return: Ensuring 

Migrants’ Rights 

Considering the present migration crisis, 

fostering a comprehensive approach to 

migration management is more important 

than ever. Our activities in the field of 

irregular migration and return address 

measures at all stages of the irregular 

migration process, applying a human 

rights-centred approach to all activities. 

In 2015, there was a strong focus put on ensuring 

human rights in the actual return process by supporting 

EU member states and associated states in 

fulfilling their obligations under the Return Directive 

(Art. 8.6) that states: ‘Member States shall provide 

for an effective forced-return monitoring system’. 

By elaborating a set of documents describing the 

functioning and working modalities of a future European 

Pool of Forced Return Monitors and training 

forced return monitors on the principles and rules 

they are committed to comply with while monitoring 

forced return operations, we supported a number 

of states in further developing and improving their 

national forced return capacities, ensuring the safeguarding 

of human rights of returnees. 

A PILOT Euro pean Pool of Forced Return Monitors 

was created. Through our ICMPD Member State 

Pro gramme we offer our member states a possibility 

to discuss issues of specific relevance to them in 

a small and informal expert setting. The two workshops 

that we organised in 2015 focused on’ the 

migration situation at large and addressed the 

following topics: ‘Managing or Being Managed by 

Migration? Status Quo, Concepts and Responses 

to Migratory Flows via the Western Balkan Route’ 

and ‘Migration Analysis Systems – Options, 

Challenges and Existing Practices for Analysing 

Migration Trends and Providing Evidence-based 

Inputs for Migration Policy Planning and Response’. 

Both workshops offered the opportunity for our 

member states to exchange experiences and discuss 

different approaches to their challenges faced.


45 


“We supported a number of 

states in further developing and 

improving their national forcedreturn 

capacities, ensuring the 

safeguarding of human rights 

of returnees.” 

We continued our capacity building activities through 

cooperation with countries of origin, transit, and 

des ti nation, strongly focusing on facilitating dialogues 

between various stakeholders at the national, regional, 

and international level. In this regard we, for example, 

offered capacity building measures and training in 

Pakistan and Turkey, focusing on cooperation and 

implementation of the EU–Pakistan and EU–Turkey 

readmission agreements with the aim to support 

their smooth implementation as well as the set up 

of necessary structures. 

ICMPD, together with eight partners and associated partner states, established a 

Euro pean PILOT Pool of Forced Return Monitors – consisting of independent and welltrained 

monitors available to states in need of monitors and FRONTEX for forced return 

oper ations. Forced return monitoring aims to ensure that human rights standards and 

legal obliga tions are met and returnees are treated in a manner compliant with national 

legislation and international human rights standards during forced return operations. 

We offer training and consultation in the field of forced return monitoring for any state 

in need of support.


46 


Legal Migration 

and Integration: 

Laying the 

Foundations 

The main aim of our work is laying the founda - 

tions for functioning migration governance, labour 

migration, and integration policies. In 2015, we 

focused on EU mobility partnerships and global 

standards for immigrant integration. 

The support of countries that have concluded mobility 

partnerships or a visa liberalisation action plan 

with the EU has developed into one of our main areas 

of expertise and activity. In Georgia, we con tinued 

to support their efforts to fulfil the related requirements 

concerning migration, strengthen their migration 

management and information systems, and write 

new migration policy. In March 2016, the European 

Commission (EC) proposed to lift visa requirements 

for the citizens of Georgia, confirming that Georgia 

successfully met all benchmarks under the Visa 

Liberalisation Action Plan. Thus, the EC recognised 

the efforts of Georgian authorities who carried out 

far-reaching and difficult reforms, which had at 

least partly been conducted with the help of ICMPD 

and European experts. A similar initiative has been 

developed for Azerbaijan, where we will support 

the implementation of the EU Mobility Partnership. 

Priorities will include well-managed labour migration 

and trade-related mobility, public awareness on 

migration, migration analysis, document security, 

asylum policy, and sustainable reintegration. 

We believe that labour migration is best supported 

by an honest dialogue between sending and 

receiv ing countries and pragmatic approaches 

that are based on all sides´ interests and priorities. 

This con vic tion found its expression in ICMPD´s 

internal cooperation on migration in the Euro- 

Mediterranean area. 

Working for the benefit of migrants 

Our activities want to focus on the migrants themselves whenever possible. 

In Tunisia, where we contributed to the strengthening of migration governance in a 

postrevolu tion ary country, we tried to go beyond traditional capacity building by 

including components for the actual benefit of returnees and prospective migrants. 

Concretely, a number of young Tunisians were supported in setting up small busi - 

nesses based on their own plans and ideas. All of them were still operating one year 

after funding had come to an end and many felt the need to expand their activities 

(some had even recruited additional employees in order to do so). This positive 

experience is intended to enrich our future activities and projects.


47 


Dynamics of integration 

Early Integration 

Advanced Integration 

Country of Origin 

Country of Destination 

Pre-departure 

Measures 

Recruitment/ 

labour matching 

Language and 

vocational training 

Language testing 

Orientation measures 

Harmonisation of 

national education 

systems 

Early Orientation 

Welcome desks 

Integration centres 

Orientation courses 

Language courses 

Vocational consultancy 

and training 

Labour market 

integration support 

Advanced Integration 

Measures 

Participation in regular structures 

Anti-discrimination measures 

Information relevant to 

obtaining citizenship 

Monitoring & evaluation 

Countries 

we have 

worked in/ 

partnered 

with: 

Austria, 

Azerbaijan, 

Belgium, 

Bulgaria, 

Czech 

Republic, 

Georgia, 

Finland, 

France, 

Latvia, 

Lithuania, 

Netherlands, 

Poland, 

Russian 

Federation, 

Slovenia, 

Sweden, 

Tunisia, 

Turkey, 

United 

Kingdom 

Its aim was to analyse main trends in the areas of 

legal migration, irregular migration, protection, and 

migration and development, as well as the underlying 

challenges and opportunities, instruments and 

legal frameworks. Thus, it established a rich source 

for concrete conclusions and rec om men da tions that 

were agreed by partner countries in the EUROMED 

migration framework as priorities for future direction. 

Ensuring the full integration of immigrants in the eco - 

nomic, social, and cultural life of their host societies 

has become a priority of many immigration countries. 

In the Russian Federation, we supported the pro cess 

of developing the country´s first global integration 

pol icy together with experts from the Czech Republic 

and Austria. The outcome of this collaboration already 

found its resonance in the recent introduction of 

language and civic integration tests in Russia. Thus, 

the jointly elaborated principles and standards in 

integration policies were not limited to partners, but 

made available as a toolbox for policymakers in all 

states participating in the Prague Process.


48 


Migration and 

Development: 

Policy Coherence 

for Sustainable 

Development 

In 2015, we pioneered new guidelines on developmentsensitive 

migration management for Turkey and engaged 

in diaspora strategy and programme developments in 

seven countries on three different continents. 

Promoting Diaspora Engagement 

Unless we understand the many ways in which migration 

and development processes relate to one another, 

we will not have the information we need to 

design policies that will promote prosperity and 

stability in the long run. Sustainable migration governance 

needs to be anchored in long-term thinking. 

It needs to be based on knowledge of how migration 

policies shape development outcomes in countries 

of origin and destination and how various development 

processes, in turn, influence migrants and 

mi gra tion. To this end, ICMPD pioneered tools for 

Turkey to use in supporting a development-sensitive 

migration management framework. These pro gramming 

guidelines and checklists can be replicated for 

other countries and complement similar tools being 

developed to measure policy coherence on migration 

and development. By applying a human-centred 

de vel opment approach they also contribute to 

achiev ing the newly adopted global goal of facilitat ing 

safe and responsible migration and mobility of people. 

We added a cornerstone to the current knowledgebase 

on free movement of people in West Africa 

with a new survey on migration policies, conducted 

in cooperation with IOM. This survey is the first of 

its kind and sheds light on progress made and remain 

ing challenges for free movement. The share of 

migra tion within West Africa is seven times greater 

than in other parts of the world, so the potential of 

regional mobility for development and integration is 

signi fi cant. At the practical level, we started scaling 

up an innovative public-private sector partnership 

for faster cross-border movement in eight countries 

in the region.


49 


Diaspora Policy 

7 ACTION AREAS TO SUPPORT DIASPORA ENGAGEMENT 

Ties with the 

Diaspora 

Communication 

and networking 

Political participation 

Improved Legal 

and Institutional 

Framework 

National focal point 

for diaspora issues 

Dual citizenship laws 

and simplified visa 

regulations 

Reduced barriers for 

investment and 

philanthropy 

Getting to Know 

the Diaspora 

Visits to the diaspora 

in the destination 

country 

Diaspora mapping 

and information 

collection 

Coherent and 

Tailored Approach 

Coordination (interinstitutional 

and 

inter-agency) 

Involvement in development 

and planning 

Consultation & Partnership 

mechanisms 

with the diaspora 

Services and 

Information Abroad 

Support to diaspora 

associations and 

networks 

Diplomatic and 

consular services 

Incentives and 

Joint Agendas 

Joint projects 

(business, 

culture, sports, 

philanthropy, etc.) 

Tailored financial 

products (e.g. 

diaspora bonds) 

Low transfer fees 

for remittances 

Political Relations 

with Destination 

Countries 

Regional cooperation 

to facilitate mobility 

Diplomatic relations 

Agreements 

(portability of social 

rights, labour market 

access, education 

programmes, etc.) 

THE DIASPORA CONTRIBUTES THROUGH 

trade and tourism 

facilitation 

remittances 

and investments 

philanthropy towards 

its communities 

employment creation 

(enterprises and 

business support) 

know-how transfer, 

innovation, ideas, skills 

and competencies 

input to the political 

debate and support to 

civil society 

development 

assistance and poverty 

alleviation 

THE BASIS: DIALOGUE AND INVOLVEMENT 

OF ALL STAKEHOLDERS 

Origin & destination 

country governments 

Diplomatic & consular 

missions abroad 

Local authorities 

Local communities 

Civil society 

Diaspora individuals 

and associations 

Research and 

academia 

Private sector


50 


“Understanding the migration-development 

nexus and its policy implications is a precondition 

for pursuing comprehensive, sustainable and 

future-oriented migration governance.” 

Regional Mobility 

Promoting diaspora engagement is a major part of 

our work on the migration-development nexus. We 

took stock of more than eight years of activities in 

this field and published a working paper on lessons 

learned. It capitalises on our experience working 

with governments in designing improved policies 

and programmes, and the partnerships we have 

formed with some of the most well-known diaspora 

organisations in Europe to empower diasporas as 

development actors. 

As concrete evidence for the growing importance of 

effective diaspora engagement for governments 

world wide, we worked with seven countries on three 

different continents. In Burundi, Ghana, Malawi, 

Paraguay, and Tajikistan we helped develop new 

strategies and action plans. 

We supported Georgia to embark on a high-profile 

diaspora programme, and in Lebanon we started 

working on a diaspora direct investment strategy, 

which will cater one of the world’s biggest diaspora 

groups. We also conducted a feasibility study on 

diaspora entrepreneurship and supported the 

Global Forum on Migration and De vel opment with 

a background paper for the Istanbul summit on 

this still emerging topic. We have seen that whereas 

the importance of the private sector in development 

cooperation is widely acknowledged, the role of 

the migrant and diasporas is often over looked. 

An inclusive business approach that jointly defines 

goals that directly affect diasporas can bring substan 

tial gains to countries of destination and origin. 

Building a platform for African diaspora organisations 

Since 2011, ICMPD supports the set-up of ADEPT, a service delivery platform for African 

diaspora organisations in Europe engaged in the development of Africa. ADEPT acts as a 

catalyst for diaspora development actions for the 84 countries targeted: 28 EU countries 

plus Switzerland and Norway, and 54 African countries.


51 

Cross-Cutting 

Migrants in 

Countries 

in Crisis 

Supporting an Evidence-based Approach for 

Effective and Cooperative State Action’ (MICIC) is 

a new EU-funded four-year project, started in early 

2015 by ICMPD. The project aims to improve the 

capacity of states and other stakeholders to assist 

and protect migrants who are in countries in crisis. 

It encompasses the three-pronged approach of 

ICMPD, namely: inter-governmental consultations, 

research, and capacity building. 

The MICIC project is the EU’s contribution to the 

UN-lead initiative of the same name. The ultimate 

goal of this global initiative is to produce volun - 

tary guidelines that set out principles, roles, and 

responsibilities of different stakeholders vis-à-vis 

migrants in countries in crisis. 

Since January 2015, ICMPD has organised six state 

consultations around the globe, receiving input for 

the global guidelines from countries in Asia, Eastern 

Europe, Central Asia, North Africa, the Middle East, 

West and Central Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, 

and Eastern and Southern Africa. 

In parallel to the consultative process, in cooperation 

with Oxford University, ICMPD kicked off research 

into the long-term consequences of crisis. 

The re search fills an important knowledge gap in 

this area. Fieldwork was launched for six case 

studies focusing on a variety of crisis situations in 

Thailand, Libya, Central African Republic, Lebanon, 

South Africa, and Cote d’Ivoire. 

The MICIC guidelines as well as the initial research 

results will be presented at the UN General Assembly 

in September 2016. 

In 2016, the MICIC global guidelines will be officially 

launched, research outcomes showcased, and 

ICMPD will kick-off its capacity building for states 

and other stakeholders to enhance their preparedness 

in ad dress ing the needs of migrants in countries 

in crisis and mitigating the long-term impacts 

of such situations.


52 

Cross-Cutting 

MIgration EU 

eXpertise (MIEUX) – 

Forging Global 

Migration Partnerships 

In 2015, after seven successful years and a hundred received 

requests, the EU-funded MIEUX Initiative continued delivering 

short-term capacity building support in more than forty 

countries across the world. It is aimed at the consolidation 

of partner countries’ expertise in all areas of migration and 

mobility. MIEUX is a fast, flexible and demand-driven initiative. 

MIEUX is an EU-funded global facility strengthening 

the migration governance capacities of governments 

in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America 

by mobilising experts from EU Member States and 

other countries to share experiences with their peers 

in MIEUX partner countries. 

In 2015, MIEUX supported the efforts of partner 

countries in a range of national migration management 

tools, strategies, policies and legislation. As a 

pioneering initiative, MIEUX has continued to deliver 

significant results both in terms of the scope of 

interventions and their outcomes. As such, MIEUX 

has pursued its objectives to build bridges between 

the EU and partner countries, equip partners with 

tailor-made practices, enhance migration under s- 

tanding and narratives, and bring together various 

stakeholders in view of setting national and regional 

migration goals, as well as opening up new cooperation 

opportunities. 

MIEUX provides expertise on legal migration, asylum, 

irregular migration, and migration and development. 

For example, its action in Mexico aims to strengthen 

national capacities to identify and protect unaccompanied 

minors. In West Africa, MIEUX focuses on the 

potential that mobility presents to adapt to climate 

change and environmental catastrophes. Further 

re sults from 2015 are the jointly crafted National 

Strategy and Action Plan Against Trafficking in Human 

Beings in Côte d’Ivoire, as well as the Malawian 

National Diaspora Engagement Policy. 

At the same time, MIEUX is a facility for EU Member 

States. The deployed experts are exposed to new 

practices and professional environments, reinforcing 

existing cooperations while fostering new ones. 

Going forward, MIEUX intends to broaden its outreach 

to include new actors, such as local administrations, 

parliamentary bodies, the judiciary, etc. MIEUX will 

run until December 2019.


53 

Cross-Cutting 

Geographical Distribution of Acivities 2015 

3 

18 

4 

17 

Africa 

Asia 

Latin America 

and Caribbean 

Middle East 

MIEUX in 2015 

Requests received: 14 

Experts involved: more than 40 

Ongoing projects: 23 

Activities organised: 42 

Number of Participants of 

MIEUX events: more than 600


54 

Policy Development 

Towards a 

New Migration 

Architecture 

The global refugee crisis of 2015 underlined the 

need to find new ways in managing migration, 

both within Europe as well as together with countries 

of origin and transit. While states were inevitably 

preoccupied with finding ways to cope 

with and eventually overcome the crisis, it also 

became clear that a return to a pre-crisis state 

of affairs was neither feasible nor desirable. To 

ensure ‘orderly migration’, European and international 

migration governance needs a fundamental 

reorientation towards anew migration 

architecture. This new architecture must provide 

comprehensive concepts, functioning individual 

policies in the various areas of migration management, 

and a balanced and honest dialogue with 

countries of origin and transit. 

The main aim of ICMPD’s policy development is to 

contribute to new ideas that go beyond conventional 

wisdom, based on a sound analysis of migration 

realities and political feasibility. In 2015 we focused 

on developing a holistic approach to migration in the 

Mediterranean, lessons learned on the fight against 

migrant smugglers, and the potential for functioning 

labour market integration of refugees in Europe. 

New instruments and joint commitment 

The international migration regime has come under immense pressure caused by 

the migration situation and a lack of agreement and unity between states. New 

instruments are needed as well as reinforced commitment towards joint solutions.


55 

Miscellaneous 

Promoting an Interdisciplinary 

Approach 

to Migration – ICMPD 

Summer Schools 

Efficient migration management requires know ledge 

and expertise in different scientific dis ci plines: law, 

sociology, demography, the political sciences, economics, 

and others. ICMPD promotes this approach 

by organizing multi-disciplinary research-oriented 

migration summer schools within different projects. 

Moreover, these summer schools welcome students 

from different academic fields of study, young pro - 

fes sionals from state institutions involved in migration 

management, and representatives of civil society 

to support cooperation between the government, 

non-government, and academic sectors. The summer 

schools have been developed and organized 

by ICMPD staff, with lectures provided by internal 

and external ICMPD experts including professors 

from Maastricht University, University of Oxford, 

Sorbonne, and the University of Vienna, as well as 

independent migration researchers from different 

countries. 

Better Informed 

for Better Migration 

Migration is about people. Therefore, people should 

be best informed about manage migration within 

their respective governments. ICMPD works within 

multiple countries on a variety of projects to provide 

expertise and support for organizing and 

implementing public information campaigns on 

migration by teaching how to reach out to different 

target groups and select or adjust communication 

tools and methods. The topics for ICMPD-supported 

awareness-raising activities include the 

provision of information to academic and nongovernmental 

sectors concerning new migration 

policy, sharing achievements and perspectives of 

the implementation of the Visa Liberalization Action 

Plan with the general public, briefing diaspora 

members about the socio-political situation in their 

country of origin, promoting legal forms of migration, 

and preventing irregular migration. Methods 

for such support vary from the provision of training 

to public relations managers in migration-related 

institutions and the organization of mobile counselling 

units in destination countries to the organiza 

tion of photo contests for youth and open-air 

events on migration issues.

International Centre for Migration 

Policy Development (ICMPD) 

Gonzagagasse 1 

A-1010 Vienna 

Austria 

www.icmpd.org 

All rights reserved. No part of this 

publication may be reproduced, 

copied or transmitted in any form 

or by any means, electronic or 

mechanical, including photocopy, 

recording, or any information storage 

and retrieval system, without 

permission of the copyright owners. 

Art Direction & Design: Rosebud 

Photography: David Blacher 

(p. 2 and 4), Katsey (inside cover) 

International Centre for Migration 

Policy Development (ICMPD) 

Austria, 2016 

Boundaries and names shown and the designations 

used on the maps do not imply official endorsement 

or acceptance by ICMPD.


57 

Executive 

Management 

Michael Spindelegger 

Director General 

Gabriela Abado 

Deputy Director General, Director of 

Human and Financial Ressources 

Martijn Pluim 

Director, Eastern Dimension 

Lukas Gehrke 

Director, Southern Dimension 

Ralph Genetzke 

Head of Brussels Mission


58 

Financial 

Information 

General 

The financial statements are prepared in line 

with the rules governing the financial framework 

of ICMPD and relevant decisions by its 

Member States. They are drawn up in accordance 

with generally accepted accounting 

principles and International Public Sector 

Accounting Standards (IPSAS) as applied. 

Budget execution 

EUR 16,751,000 

873,100 

166,100 

951,900 

14,760,000 

Membership contributions 

Project resources 

Net contributions from 

operational activities 

Other income


59 

Budget Execution 

Programmes and Geographic Areas 

Expenditures in 2015 (regular and programme 

budget) amounted to EUR 16.7 million. The 

budget was funded by membership contributions, 

project resources and miscellaneous 

income including contributions from operational 

activities. The consolidated budget 

comprises the regular budget containing the 

essential management, administration, and 

infrastructure costs necessary for the steering 

and governance of the organisation and 

the programme budget containing dedicated 

funds for project implementation, specific 

programmes for Member States and support 

functions. 

ICMPD’s operational activities covered six 

thematic migration management programmes: 

Asylum, Border Management and Visa, Irregular 

Migration and Return, Legal Migration and 

Integration, Migration and Development, and 

as well as Trafficking in Human Beings. Geographically, 

the areas of operations reflected 

the priority regions of ICMPD’s Member States 

and main donors: the Eastern Neighbourhood, 

CIS and the Silk Routes region, the Southern 

Neighbourhood with the Mediterranean region, 

Sub-Saharian Africa, and Brazil. ICMPD supported 

major migration dialogues in the Southern 

and Eastern Neighborhoods and carried 

out research projects with a focus on European 

policy questions. 

Programme expenditures 2015 

by geographic region (in %) 

Programme expenditures 2015 

Funding structure (in %) 

19 

11 

5 

15 

38 

10 

33 

Global 

Europe 

Eastern dimension 

Southern dimension 

69 


European Commission 

UN & Other Institutions 

Other States


60 

www.icmpd.org

ICMPD-Review-2015

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