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Doc. 10650
26 July 2005
European Migration Observatory/Agency
Recommendation 1655 (2004)
Reply from the Committee of Ministers
adopted at the 935th meeting of the Ministers’ Deputies (13 July 2005)
1. The Committee of Ministers shares the Parliamentary Assembly’s concern for migration issues expressed in its Recommendation 1655 (2004) on a European Migration Observatory/Agency. It reiterates the importance it attaches to activities in this sector to help ensure a more balanced management of migration across Europe. It agrees that pan-European co-operation is vital to effective migration management and the dissemination of information in host countries as well as countries of origin and transit.
2. In this perspective, the Committee of Ministers has examined the Assembly’s recommendations regarding the establishment of a migration observatory/agency, and has considered the possible added value of such a body for the work of the Council of Europe. In particular the Committee of Ministers has considered the possible role of a migration observatory/agency in the pan-European context and in relation to the strategic objectives and activities of the Council of Europe in the pursuit of balanced migration management.
3. The Committee of Ministers feels that at this stage the added value of such an organ in relation to the current structures and expertise of the Council of Europe in the field has not been clearly established. Nevertheless, the Committee of Ministers agrees with the Parliamentary Assembly that the Council of Europe is an appropriate forum for the promotion of co-operation between the member states, the European Union and non-European countries. The European Commission’s network of National Contact Centres, mentioned in the recommendation, indeed represents a promising area for co-operation, and contacts have already been made between the two organisations to this end.
4. The Committee of Ministers considers that the Council of Europe’s main task in the area of migration is to devise projects, strategies and norms, and that their introduction and implementation is the remit of other organisations, and national authorities. As an illustration, the Migration Management Strategy, finalised in 2000, provides a comprehensive policy framework for all actors in the migration process and brings together the principles of orderliness, protection, integration and co-operation: as such, it should be further promoted and developed. The European Committee on Migration has recently started a process of evaluation of its working methods, and the Committee of Ministers has approved the terms of reference of a Select Committee of Experts (MG-R-PE) entrusted with a thorough review of the Strategy from the point of view of countries of emigration. The Committee of Ministers also recalls its decision of November 2004 to establish a Political Platform of the Council of Europe on Migration in accordance with the recommendations of the 7th Conference of European Ministers responsible for Migration Affairs (Helsinki, September 2002) to establish a
regular dialogue and partnership between countries of destination, origin and transit. The Political Platform aims at initiating dialogue and co-operation at the highest level between government structures and ministries, parliamentary assemblies, local authorities and non-governmental organisations from Europe and beyond, as well as identifying migration challenges and orientating appropriate action and follow-up and providing political guidance for the activities of the Council of Europe. The results of the Platform initiative and its impact on the Organisation’s migration activities will be assessed as its work progresses.
5. It is also worth noting that an interdisciplinary Task Force has also been created within the Secretariat of the Council of Europe, in order to co-ordinate and enhance the visibility of the work on migration-related issues. The added focus which should result from the work of the Task Force will respond to the intention to optimise existing structures and to keep migration issues as part of a co-ordinated set of activities.
6. The Committee of Ministers considers that the need to create an observatory or agency could, if appropriate, be re-assessed at a later stage in the light of the results of current initiatives described above, which include co-operation with the European Union on the network of National Contact Centres, the evaluation of the working methods of the CDMG, the Council of Europe’s Political Platform on Migration and the Task Force on Migration. At the same time, the Committee of Ministers takes note of the interest of the Greek authorities in hosting a European Migration Observatory/Agency, should there be a decision to establish it in the future.