Integration of third-country nationals

Key points

• The Committee welcomes the communication from the European Commission and considers it is a significant step further in understanding and tackling the challenges of integrating third-country nationals in the EU Member States.

• The communication's approach is comprehensive and structured yet fails to take proper account of the complicated political and socio-economic challenges European societies have to face. Furthermore, it is an absolute priority that the European Commission and other EU institutions converge in sustained, far-reaching and bold communication actions aimed at curbing anti-immigration discourse and attitudes.

• The Committee considers that the articulation of interests and a capacity to formulate collective proposals in partnership with public and private bodies is a prerequisite for a qualitative, participatory and efficient integration policy.

• The Committee encourages the EU Commission to focus on integration, either in a dedicated European year or as a key element in one of the other upcoming years.

• The Committee remains deeply committed to cooperating with the other EU institutions on the development of key policies and programmes for integration of third-country nationals. Moreover, it is determined to work on linking European civil society to the integration agenda and facilitating the participation of third-country nationals in a structured dialogue at European level.