Sustainable Migration in Europe

On the 13 December, the Norwegian EMN National Contact Point hosted a conference titled „Sustainable Migration in Europe“ at the Norway House in Brussels.

After being welcomed by Øyvind Jaer, Coordinator of the Norwegian EMN NCP, the participants were introduced to the topic of the Conference by Magnus Ovilius, Head of Return Sector, Irregular Migration, DG Migration and Home Affairs and Chair of the European Migration Network.

The first and main presentation was held by Professors Alexander Betts and Paul Collier from the University of Oxford, who presented their proposal of a „framework for sustainable migration“. According to the academics, sustainable migration policies must satisfy three simple conditions: meet our basic ethical obligations, have broad democratic support, and not lure people into decisions they will come to regret. Their framework purports to constitute an alternative vision to the way migration policies are shaped nowadays.

A Q&A debate followed, after which Professor Grete Brochmann from the University of Oslo and Research Professor Anne Skevik Grødem from the Institute for Social Research in Oslo introduced the public to the concept of absorption capacity as means for assessing sustainable migration.

The last presentation was finally held by Asle Toje, Roving Political Scientist and Member of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, who discussed the significance of culture in assessing sustainable immigration.

A debate among all the panellists followed and marked the end of the Conference.