Udlændinge- og Integrationsudvalget 2017-18
UUI Alm.del Bilag 27
Offentligt
Standing Committee meeting, Hamburg, 3 September 2017,
Attachment 4.2
24.8.2017/Memo
BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration
Draft Scope of work and mandate
1. Requests from the Standing Committee Meeting 28 April 2017 in Hamburg
At the Standing Committee meeting 28 April, the scope, objective and tasks of a new BSPC
Working Group on Innovation were discussed.
The meeting agreed to recommend the 26
th
BSPC to launch a new BSPC Working Group on
Migration and Integration.
As in previous cases, the Working Group should discuss and define its priorities at its inaugural
meeting.
A Chairperson of the new Working Group has not yet been proposed.
The BSPC Standing Committee will ponder the mandate and priorities of the new WG at the SC
meeting in Hamburg on 3 September. The formal launching of the new WG will be made by the
26
th
BSPC, by means of a paragraph in the 26
th
BSPC Resolution.
2. Scope of Work of the new Working Group
The scope of work of WG ISHC should cover, but not be limited to, the following main items:
A. Migration and integration in the Baltic Sea region - a survey on the current situation
The refugee crisis as well as the topic of migration and integration defer in the Baltic Sea
region states. To find a common platform for deliberations about common activities it seems to
be necessary, that the working group elaborates a common fundament for the discussion by
collecting information about the current situation in the Baltic Sea region countries and its
immigration policies.
The information base should cover migration routes not only from the South and East to the
West and North of Europe but also from other continents to Europe.
B. Best practice examples
The WG should, through e.g. expert presentations, study visits and questionnaires, collect and
compile examples of best practices, integration programmes and measures, follow and
influence political initiatives.
The issues should embrace various aspects related to migration and integration. The aim is to
get an impression of the state of migration and integration in the Baltic Sea Region and to
 UUI, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 27: Invitation til Østersørådets Parlamentariske Forsamlings arbejdsgruppe om migration og integration d. 4.-5. dec. 2017 i Hamborg
identify where common action is possible and further action is needed. This will form one part
of the base for the political recommendations of the WG. It should also be examined how the
BSR contries could benefit from the experience of other countries.
C. Measures to Promote Integration
The WG should, by means of e.g. expert presentations, study visits and questionnaires, collect
and compile examples of measures to promote integration.
The aim is to identify typical measures that have been applied and to assess the achievements
made. This also serves to identify gaps and needs for measures to promote integration. This
will form another part of the base for the political recommendations of the WG. The WG should
further help to actively drive cooperation and
develop recommendations for improving
collaboration
and exchange of information
between Baltic Sea countries in matters related
to immigration and migratory flows between various authorities, organisations and other
operators.
D. Political Recommendations
The primary outcome of the activities of the WG is to elaborate political recommendations
migration and integration. The political recommendations should be based on an assessment of
the specific role and added value that the parliamentarians can contribute for the promotion of
integration. The political recommendations constitute a manifestation of the joint political push
that parliamentarians of the BSPC can exert on the governments of the Baltic Sea Region.
4. Timeframe for the Working Group
The WG will be launched by the 26
th
BSPC in Hamburg 4 September 2017. The first meeting of
the WG migration and integration should be assembled before the end of 2017. The WG will
then meet on at least five more occasions, tentatively in March 2018, June 2018, November
2018, March 2019 and May/June 2019. A mid-way report should be presented at the 27
th
BSPC
in Mariehamn 2018. The final report of the WG will be submitted to the 28
th
BSPC.
5. The Inaugural Meeting of the Working Group
The first meeting of the WG should include the following issues:
- Expert presentations to give an overall view on the refugee prizes as well as on
migration and integration in the Baltic Sea region and beyond;
- adoption of the mandate of the WG;
- deliberations over the topics, themes and priorities of the WG;
- appointment of vice chair(s) of the WG;
- meeting schedule, themes and venues.
The call for the first meeting of the WG will be issued immediately after the 26
th
BSPC.
 UUI, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 27: Invitation til Østersørådets Parlamentariske Forsamlings arbejdsgruppe om migration og integration d. 4.-5. dec. 2017 i Hamborg
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Annex 1
Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference
The BSPC Working Group on Migration and Integration
Adopted by the 26
th
BSPC on 5 September 2017
The BSPC Working Group on Sustainable Tourism
1.
Constitution
The Working Group is constituted as an ad-hoc working group under the auspices of the
Standing Committee of the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference in accordance with the BSPC
Rules of Procedure.
2.
Objectives
The overarching objective of the Working Group is to elaborate political positions and
recommendations pertaining to migration and integration. For this purpose, the Working Group
should establish and maintain contacts with relevant institutions, organizations and other
actors in the Baltic Sea Region.
The scope of work of the Working Group should cover, but not be limited to, issues such as
The state of the refugee crisis, migration and integration in the Baltic Sea Region;
Best practices in migration and integration;
Measures to solve current challenges;
Challenges and opportunities for integration;
The Working Group and its members should aim at raising the political attention on migration
and integration, for instance by pursuing those issues in the national parliaments of the
members of the Working Group. Moreover, the Working Group should contribute to the
exchange of knowledge and best practices within its area of responsibility. It should
furthermore help to actively drive cooperation in the BSR on this policy field and to follow and
influence political initiatives
The Working Group should provide political input to the Conference resolutions of the 27
th
and
the 28
th
Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conferences.
3.
Participation
All member parliaments and parliamentary organizations of the BSPC are invited to participate
in the Working Group with one member and one substitute each, accompanied by one advisor
and/or one interpreter. Members and substitutes must be parliamentarians.
Representatives of other national parliaments and relevant international organizations can be
involved by unanimous decision of the Working Group members.
 UUI, Alm.del - 2017-18 - Bilag 27: Invitation til Østersørådets Parlamentariske Forsamlings arbejdsgruppe om migration og integration d. 4.-5. dec. 2017 i Hamborg
4.
Mode of Work
The Working Group shall be headed by a Chairmanship, consisting of a Chairperson and 1-2
Vice Chairpersons.
At its first meeting, the Working Group should appoint 1-2 Vice Chairpersons.
The Working Group should adopt a working plan at its first meeting.
Decisions of the Working Group shall be made by consensus. Abstentions do not disrupt
consensus.
The working language shall be English for deliberations as well as documents. Russian
interpretation will be provided on a need basis. Translation of background material and other
documents for the Working Group meetings to any other language than English will only be
done on request. The costs in such cases shall be borne by the requesting member parliament.
5.
Administration
Basic secretariat resources for the Working Group arrangements and meetings will be provided
by the Chairmanship of the Working Group together with the BSPC Secretariat.
Additional staff support to the Chair and Vice Chair(s) shall be provided by their home
parliaments. Staff support to the members of the Working Group shall be provided by their
home parliaments.
Meetings will be arranged on a rotating basis between member parliaments. The secretariat of
the parliament hosting a meeting shall provide assistance to the practical preparation of the
meeting (booking of meeting facilities and meals, suggestions for accommodation, necessary
transportation, help in finding relevant local guest speakers etc).
6.
Costs
Members and staff of the Working Group shall cover their own travel and accommodation costs
and other expenses in connection to activities in the group.
Meeting costs and all related expenditures will, as a rule, be covered by the BSPC joint
financing mechanism.
7.
Timeframe
The start-up of the Working Group activities shall commence in fall 2017. The Working Group
will agree on a meeting schedule at its first meeting.
The Working Group should present a midway report at the 27
th
BSPC in 2018. The final report
of the Working Group shall be submitted to the 28
th
BSPC in 2019.