Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/979340
maltatoday WEDNESDAY 9 MAY 2018 14 Analysis Majority in Malta see migration more as a problem than an opportunity DUNCAN BARRY "WHAT have migrants ever done for us?" is the question many pose. Would you have thought that over half (54%) of Europe- ans agree that integration of mi- grants has been a success in their local area, city or country? How do you think respondents in Malta differ in their views when compared to the rest of Europe? And what are the aspects they differ in? Multiple European surveys have showed that the issue of migration is a major concern in quite a few Member States while integration is one of the aspects being given priority. Although migrant integration policies are a national competence, since the signature of the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007, European institutions have the mandate to 'provide incentives and support for the action of Member States with a view to promoting the integra- tion of third-country nationals'. The EU has, over a number of years, set priorities and goals to drive EU policies, legislative proposals and funding oppor- tunities. The adoption, in 2004, of the Common Basic Principles for Immigrant Integration Policy in the EU remains a milestone in the process of developing a com- mon immigration policy. The EU also supports integra- tion through its funding pro- grammes. One example of an EU-funded project being imple- mented to promote the integra- tion of migrants in Malta is that of the Malta Football Associa- tion (MFA). MEUSAC assisted the MFA in the application pro- cess and, as a result, the associa- tion received EU funds from the Erasmus+ programme to imple- ment a project that will provide five Maltese established football clubs with the opportunity to implement an action that has as its main objective the integration of refugees in society through sport – in this case. In order to better understand how the EU institutions can work with Member States and other actors to respond to the challenges of integration, it is necessary to have a clearer un- derstanding of public opinion on the issue. The special Eurobarometer survey was carried out in the 28 Member States of the EU in October 2017. Some 28,080 resi- dents in the EU, including both EU and non-EU citizens from different social and demograph- ic groups, were interviewed face- to-face at home and in the lan- guages of the respective country where the interviewing took place. According to the survey's find- ings on the issue, only a minor- ity (37%) of Europeans think that they are well informed about mi- gration and integration-related matters. Respondents also tend to overestimate the number of non-EU migrants: in 19 out of the 28 Member States, the esti- mated proportion of migrants in the population is at least twice the actual proportion and in some countries the ratio is much higher. In Malta's case, a meagre 4% of respondents said they are well informed – the same as the EU average, the bigger chunk (43%) stating they are not well in- formed, only 3% less than the EU average of 46%. When asked how they feel the media portrays issues related to migrants, whether migrant matters are presented too posi- tively, in an objective way, or too negatively, the majority (51%) of respondents in Malta said that they are presented in an objec- tive way while 29% said they are presented negatively. Interacting with migrants The results show that around six in 10 respondents (61%) across the EU interact weekly with mi- grants, be it either by exchanging a few words or by doing an activi- ty together. A similar proportion of respondents (57%) say they would feel comfortable having any type of social relations with migrants (manager, work col- league, neighbour, doctor, fam- ily member including partner, friend). As a matter of fact, four in 10 Europeans surveyed (40%) do have either friends or family members who are migrants. Some 49% of respondents in Malta feel that integration of mi- grants in Malta is successful. In Malta, the majority of re- spondents (93%) strongly feel that contributing to the welfare system by paying taxes is the way forward for the successful integration of migrants residing in Malta. Improving language courses for migrants upon their arrival (88%) and introducing or improving upon existing inte- gration programmes (85%) are the best measures to support in- tegration of migrants. Interest- ingly, in this case, the exact same percentage of respondents across the EU shared the same opinion as respondents in Malta. The re- port reads that "Europeans say that integrating immigrants is a necessary investment in the long-run for their country and a similar proportion view inte- gration as a two-way process in which both host society and im- migrants are responsible. Sixty- nine per cent of respondents in Malta strongly view integration as a two-way process". Impact of migrants on Maltese society The majority of respondents (84%) have said that migrants fill jobs for which it is hard to find Maltese workers. It is a fact that vacancies in the construction, hospitality and cleaning indus- tries are being taken up by mi- grants, be it legally or illegally. The EU's role A majority of Europeans agree that many different actors, in- cluding the EU, play a vital role in the integration of immigrants (80%). The EU's role is seen as important by a majority of re- spondents in all Member States, in particular in view of promot- ing better cooperation between actors involved, sharing best practices among Member States, establishing common measures on integration and providing fi- nancial support. Action Plan on the Integration of Third-Country Nationals (TCNs) In 2016, the European Com- mission adopted an Action Plan on the integration of third-country nationals. The Action Plan provides a com- prehensive framework to sup- port Member States' efforts in developing and strengthening their integration policies. It describes the concrete meas- ures the Commission will im- plement in this regard. While it targets all TCNs in the EU, it contains actions to address the specific challenges faced by refugees. The Plan includes actions across all the policy ar- eas that are crucial for integra- tion, including: pre-departure and pre-arrival measures, ac- tions to prepare migrants and the local communities for the integration process, education – including actions to promote language training – partici- pation of migrant children to early childhood education and care, teacher training and civic education, employment and vocational training, access to basic services such as housing and healthcare, among others. Some of the actions that have been implemented so far in Member States include activi- ties on reception of newly-ar- rived migrants and an assess- ment of previous schooling of such migrants – one of a series of round-tables on how to in- tegrate newly-arrived migrant children into European edu- cation systems. Since cultural awareness and expression is one of the eight key compe- tences that form the reference tool which EU Member States integrate into strategies and infrastructure in the context of lifelong learning, a handbook on cultural awareness and ex- pression was published. An EU funding call – 'Social inclusion through education, training and youth' – had also been an- nounced under the Eramus+ programme. The Council had also adopt- ed a recommendation entitled 'Upskilling Pathways: New Opportunities for Adults' (for- merly the Skills Guarantee). Member States are to adopt implementation measures by mid-2018. In Malta, the government has set up the Directorate for Hu- man Rights and Integration and the Forum for Integration Affairs. With the Migrant In- tegration Strategy and Action Plan (Vision 2020), the gov- ernment is now setting up a stronger framework for the integration of migrants who are already working, living and sending their children to school in Malta. Duncan Barry is Media & Infor- mation Officer at MEUSAC The special Eurobarometer survey 469 on 'Integration of immigrants in the European Union' found that only a minority of Europeans think that they are well informed about migration and integration-related matters In order to better understand how the EU institutions can work with Member States and other actors to respond to the challenges of integration, it is necessary to have a clearer understanding of public opinion on the issue