In the first week of April, the Protecting Irregular Migrants in Europe project (PRIME) led by the Migration Policy Centre, conducted a webinar on the significant role national institutions have in crafting the conditions and policies of irregular migrants within Europe. The event attracted nearly a hundred participants, demonstrating a strong interest in unpacking the complex challenges associated with irregular migration.
The webinar introduced a theoretical perspective from a newly published report, highlighting the crucial role of national institutions. It emphasised that developing effective policies for irregular migrants requires an in-depth understanding of the broader institutional frameworks prevalent in the host countries.
The webinar examined the challenges faced by European democracies when balancing the need for immigration control with upholding human rights. It also highlighted the influence of key national institutions such as those related to legal affairs, politics, the labour market, and welfare on these policies.
The panel included Clare Fox-Ruhs from the Robert Schuman Centre, Martin Ruhs from the Migration Policy Centre, and Joakim Palme from Uppsala University. In addition, Christiane Kuptsch from the International Labour Organization participated as a discussant. This webinar was the fifth episode of the Joint Webinar Series, a collaboration among various Horizon Europe projects focusing on irregular migration. These initiatives are dedicated to promoting dialogue, exchanging expertise, and supporting the development of well-informed policies to tackle one of Europe's most critical challenges.
A recording of the webinar is accessible here.