Programme & speakers

Remote public hearing on “The protection and integration of Ukrainian refugees, 9 months on: how well is it going?"

Remote event via Interactio, online platform - Monday, 21 November 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m.

09.30 a.m. - 10.00 a.m. | Testing possibility for the Interactio tool

10.00 a.m. - 10.05 a.m. | Welcome and Introduction

• Paul Soete, President of the Study Group on Immigration and Integration (IMI) of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC)

10.05 a.m. - 11.20 a.m. | Panel I: The protection of Ukrainian refugees: the institutional perspective

Moderator: José Antonio Moreno Díaz, Group II, EESC

• Cecilia Verkleij, Deputy Head of Unit, Asylum, DG Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission 
• Nataša Chmelíčková, Chair, Asylum Working Party, Czech Presidency of the Council of the EU, and Head of Unit for Asylum Legislation at the Czech Ministry of Interior
• Lucie Verachten, Political Administrator, DG Justice and Home Affairs, General Secretariat of the Council
• Giuseppe Varacalli, member of the Citizenship, Governance, Institutional and External Affairs, Committee of the Regions

Q&A

11.20 a.m. - 11.30 a.m. | Coffee break

11.30 a.m. - 01.00 p.m. | Panel II: The view from the ground: the challenges and strains facing refugees

Moderator: Paul Soete, Group I, EESC

• Justyna Segeš Frelak and Caitlin Katsiaficas, Senior Policy Adviser and Policy Analyst, International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD)
• Gabriela Alexandrescu, Executive President, Save the Children, Romania
• Maria Papaioannou and Thomas Jezequel, Information and Analysis Officer and Reception Officer, European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA)

Q&A

01.00 p.m. - 02.30 p.m. | Lunch break

2.30 p.m. - 03.30 p.m. | Panel III: The integration of Ukrainian refugees in education, housing and employment: facts and figures

Moderator: Paul Soete, Group I, EESC

• Giuliana Benedetto, Policy Officer, Legal pathways and Integration, DG Migration and Home Affairs, European Commission
• Ramona David Craescu, Department Coordinator, Department for VET and Skills, CEDEFOP
• Maria Cantero, Research Support Officer, Working life Unit, Eurofound
• Sogol Noorani, Education and Policy Systems Analyst, Eurydice, EACEA

Q&A

03.30 p.m. - 03.40 p.m. | Coffee break

03.40 p.m. - 04.40 p.m. | Panel IV: The integration of Ukrainian refugees in education, housing and employment: the perspective from social partners, civil society and think tanks

Moderator: Pietro Vittorio Barbieri, Group III, EESC

• Robert Plummer, Senior Adviser, BusinessEurope
• Magdalena Chojnowska, International Department, All-Poland Alliance of Trade Unions (OPZZ)
• Robert Ranson, Senior Policy and Advocacy Officer, Social Platform
• Jasmijn Slootjes, Senior Policy Analyst, Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Europe

Q&A

04.40 p.m. - 04.45 p.m. | Closing remarks

• Paul Soete, IMI President

Interpretation requested from ES/EN/FR/IT into ES/EN/FR/IT