Strengthening cooperation and mobilisation of employers and social and economic partners

Duncan Barry

A new call for project proposals to be funded by the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund has been launched. The aim of this call is to help foster the integration of third country nationals in the labour market.

AMIF was set up for the period 2014-20, with a total of €3.137bn for the seven years. It aims to promote the efficient management of migration flows and the implementation, strengthening and development of a common EU approach to asylum and immigration.

Integration in the labour market is a challenge which cannot be tackled by only one actor in isolation. All actors involved must work together to create the conditions for a quick and effective integration of third-country nationals in the labour market. The role of economic and social partners and of public and private employers is key in this area.

The objectives of the call are twofold:

- To promote early and effective integration in the labour market of third-country nationals, by creating effective transnational partnerships with all actors concerned and in particular social and economic partners, employers, public and private employment services and national and local authorities to foster the development of tools, methods, capacity building and experience exchanges;

- To raise awareness about the conditions for early and effective labour market integration of third-country nationals, as well as of its economic and social benefits and mobilise employers and other key actors to become active on this topic.

Projects applications submitted under the present call for proposals should be designed to include in particular one or more of the following activities:

a.         Developing measures or design schemes aiming to facilitate the labour market integration of third-country nationals and in particular refugees;

b.         Exchanging methods and practices on the different above-mentioned actions and promoting capacity building related to labour market integration of third-country nationals among employers, employers' organisations, chambers of commerce and industries, trade unions and migrants' associations;

c.         Promoting the Employers together for integration initiative and mobilising employers to actively promote integration in their workforce and beyond.

The total budget earmarked for this particular call is €8m. The EU will co-finance up to 90% of the total eligible costs and the grant amount requested must be between €450,000 and €1m. Applications submitted under this strand must involve a partnership of at least three distinct organisations from at least two different member states (excluding Denmark). 

Public and private employers and social partners are being urged to apply. Project applications that would include at least three of the following entities in their applications will be assessed as being particularly relevant: European or national associations of employers, European, national or regional Chambers of commerce and industry, European, national or regional skilled craft Chambers, European, national or regional Trade unions organisations, vocational education and training providers, public or private employment services and national, regional and local authorities with responsibility for integration into the labour market.

Social partners organisation (employers or trade union organisations) could be cross-industry or sectoral organisations. In addition, applicants can include other relevant entities such as non-governmental organisations active in the field of labour market integration. Activities submitted under this call should not be already financed under other EU-funding programmes, in particular the European Social Fund.

The deadline for the submission of applications is 1 March 2018.

Application process            

Meusac provides assistance in the application process. This includes the drafting of the project's proposals and budget. Potential applicants are to keep in mind that in order to be considered for funding, their project must satisfy the programme's priorities.

For further information or to set up an appointment regarding the above-mentioned call or any other EU-funding programmes, please contact Meusac on [email protected] or by phoning on 2200 3300.

The author is Media and Information executive at Meusac