On 1-2 December 2022, the Special Representative on Migration and Refugees (SRSG), Leyla Kayacik, chaired the 6th meeting of the Network of Focal Points on Migration. Participants from ministries dealing with migration issues from over 40 member states gathered in a hybrid format to discuss how the Council of Europe and the member states are addressing the needs of people fleeing Ukraine, 10 months after the start of the Russian aggression against Ukraine.
The Special Representative gave an overview of the ongoing and upcoming activities that she is currently putting in place in line with the recommendations from her fact-finding mission reports on the Republic of Moldova, Poland, Slovak Republic and Czech Republic. Follow-up events have already been organised in Poland and the Slovak Republic. Other planned activities include strengthening the capacities of professionals providing psychological support to victims of war-related trauma. These activities are realised in co-operation with relevant entities within the Council of Europe as well with international partners, such as UNHCR, in line with the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Asylum and Migration in Europe.
The meeting included a presentation of the Committee of Ministers Recommendation on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation, and recent and ongoing activities of the Education Department relevant for migrants and refugees.
An overview of the recent case-law of the European Court of Human Rights in the fields of migration and asylum was presented, as well as the work of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities on the role of European cities and regions in receiving vulnerable refugees, in particular women and children.
Member states provided updates on recent legal and policy developments in their countries.
“This meeting was an occasion to strengthen exchanges among Focal Points and provided an opportunity for our member states to learn more about the migration-related activities carried out by the Council of Europe. The 6th meeting of the Network confirmed the commitment of Focal Points to protect persons in a vulnerable situation in the context of migration”, said the Special Representative.
- Recommendation of the Committee of Ministers to member States on preventing and combating trafficking in human beings for the purpose of labour exploitation
- Reception of women and children refugees in Europe’s cities and regions
- New reference guide on Literacy and Second Language Learning for the Linguistic Integration of Adult Migrants (LASLLIAM)
- European Qualifications Passport for Refugees
- implementation of the Council of Europe Action Plan on Protecting Vulnerable Persons in the Context of Migration and Asylum in Europe (2021-2025)
- Immigration - ECHR-KS - Knowledge Sharing (coe.int)
