Progressive Migration Group conference

In the current global context, migration is once again at the top of the European and national political agenda. However, short-term, simplistic and narrow policy responses will not only fail to address existing challenges but will likely exacerbate the consequences of mismanagement.

Considering the significance of migration as a policy issue in the new European legislative term, FEPS is continuing the crucial work of the Progressive Migration Group in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES). The Progressive Migration Group is composed of migration experts from different parts of Africa and Europe.

Several online expert meetings in 2024 focused on the three key challenges, namely

• the implications of the EU Asylum reform for African countries,
• the shortage of labour migration and legal pathways,
• and the African perspectives on the complex interplay between EU migration and development policy on the continent. 

Building on the results of these online exchanges, the PMG met again after the summer break and presented the results of its findings in the course of a conference held on 10 September. We discussed the questions: What impact will the EU New Pact on Migration and Asylum have on African countries? How could a migrant-centred approach to legal pathways and labour migration look like, which policies need to be in place? 

Everyone that joined us had the opportunity to exchange with members of the Progressive Migration Group and further experts on migration incl.

• Ottilia Maunganidze, Head of Special Projects in the office of the Executive Director at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS)
• Jérôme Tubiana, Operational Adviser on Refugee Issues for Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) at the Paris Operational Centre
• Alberto Neidhardt, Senior Policy Analyst and Head of European Diversity and Migration Programme at the European Policy Centre (EPC)
• Juan Fernando López Aguilar, S&D Member of the European Parliament 
• Paddy Siyanga Knudsen, Development Economist and Migration Governance Expert, Co-organiser, African Non-State Actors Platform, Global Research Forum on Diaspora and Transnationalism
• Ferruccio Pastore, Director of International and European Forum on Migration Research (FIERI)
• Mercedes Miletti, Senior Advisor on Migration and Union Migrant Network at European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC)
• Antje Grotheer, President of the Bremen Parliament and Rapporteur on the Common Implementation Plan for the Pact on Migration and Asylum: The Local and Regional Perspective at the Committee of the Regions (online)
• Anna Terron Cusi, former secretary of State for Immigration and Emigration of the Government of Spain (2010-2011)

On the occasion of this event, the Progressive Migration Group launched a set of recommendations to European and African lawmakers focusing on a “development-oriented and rights-based approach to migration”. Throughout the two-year project, the group discussed the EU Asylum reform’s impact on African countries, challenges and opportunities concerning legal pathways, and African perspectives on EU migration and development policies.With the recommendations, the Progressive Migration Group intends to be a knowledge broker for European and African lawmakers.

The views expressed in this document do not necessarily represent the views of any organisation to which a member of the Progressive Migration Group is affiliated.

For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Julia Wild, Project Officer (julia.wild@feps-europe.eu).

Find out more about the Progressive Migration Group.

Watch the new episode of FEPS Talks Podcast about migration with Otillia Anna Mauganidze, also available on Spotify and Apple Podcast.