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Migration to the Centre

The international project Migration to the Centre examines how acquis communautaire and other EU instruments influence migration and integration policies and practice in the V4 region (CZ, SK, PL, HU, SL). It brings international comparisons to the situation in each country, promotes cooperation and networking between experts and stakeholders and provides space for migrants´ voice. The project aims to raise awareness and build capacities for participation on the EU policies of migration and integration and their implementation.

The project is covering following topics that are considered crucial within the migration and integration process:

Work and the residence permits
Family reunification
Study / training in EU

The project aims to create an active network of Central European partners focused on migration and integration, to draw attention of policy makers, experts and wider public to similarities and differences in the implementation of EU migration legislation and contribute to the cultivation of the migration debate and create conditions for inclusion of migrants to the debate.

Project partners:

Duration of the project: 9/2012 - 2/2014

Project coordinator:
Alexandra Dubová
Telefon: +420 296 325 346
E-mail: alexandra.dubova@mkc.cz

The project has been generously supported by the European Commission The "Europe for citizens" programme.

Project outputs:

The draft of the new Aliens Act: Tighter Rules for All

30. 8. 13

At the beginning of May 2013, after more than two years of preparations, the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic submitted for public consultation, its conception of the new foreigners’ legislation. Three new separate acts, if approved by the Government and Parliament, would substantially change the current legal regulation of stay and residence of foreigners from the EU as well as fr...

Work and residence permitsCzech Republicarticles

Bureaucracy versus Love

12. 8. 13 Oksana Belková

Marriage is no longer considered to be just a sacred ceremony but also a way how to improve one’s living standard. Changes in societal tendencies have brought not only a large number of divorces but so-called sham marriages are also on the rise. What is the reason?

Family reunification Czech Republic

Slovakia: Family Reunification

12. 8. 13 Zuzana Števulová

The second phase of Migration to the centre project focused on the important topic of family reunification. During the implementation, we combined different contributions with the aim to tackle wide range of issues related to reunification of families, such as definition of family, balance between individual and public interest, daily life and integration. The public discussion took place on the s...

Family reunification Slovakia

Public debate: The Right to Family Life vs. Immigration Control

26. 7. 13

The Multicultural Center Prague in cooperation with the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, representation in the Czech Republic, organized the public debate about the current trends in family reunification in the Czech Republic in the context of the European Union. The panelists discussed the implementation and possible amendment of the EU Family Reunification Directive, current practice of family reunific...

Family reunification Czech Republic

Public debate: Migrations and the right to family reunification

27. 6. 13

This video is an edited record of the public debate “Migrations and the right to family reunification” which took place on 17 June 2013 in Ljubljana. This public event was organized by Ljubljana based NGOs Peace Institute and Slovenian Philanthropy in collaboration with the Festival of migrant film. Family reunification is the second most common reason for migrants to come to Slovenia (about a...

Family reunification Gender and MigrationSlovenia

Roundtable discussion: The system and practice of family reunification in Hungary and Europe

19. 6. 13

The Center for Independent Journalism organized the roundtable discussion on 6 June 2013 by the called “The system and practice of family reunification in Hungary and Europe”. The seminar focused on the migration for the purpose of family reunification of third country nationals in Hungary and also offered a comparative analysis with other member states of the European Union. Along with govern...

Family reunification Hungary

The migrant’s right to family life during proceedings on family reunification in the Czech Republic

14. 6. 13 Michala Cilli

Is the obligation to protect the family reflected only in the already issued long-term residence permit for the purpose of family reunification? The focus of this article is on the family reunification proceedings before the Czech Ministry of the Interior. The author argues that the right to family life should be respected from the moment of lodging the application for family reunification.

Family reunification Gender and Migration IntegrationCzech Republicarticles

The main principles of family reunification before the European Court of Human Rights

13. 6. 13 Kornelis Kasper

The following article briefly discusses some of the main considerations of the European Court of Human Rights with regard to the issue of family reunification. The author describes the concept of family life as interpreted in the Court’s case-law and its approach towards family reunion in immigration cases. He notes that although States have a relatively broad discretion to organise their policy...

Family reunification Gender and Migration Integrationarticles

The logic of “paper marriages”

13. 6. 13 Agnieszka Sitko

Family reunification is an extremely important factor in the integration process. According to MIPEX III, Poland comparing to other EU countries, has relatively high result in family reunion index . At the same time, however, Poland is confronted with a number of foreigners who overuse the argument of family relationships in order to legalise their stay in Poland.

Family reunification Poland

"The Hungarian fortress" in the family reunification procedure

10. 6. 13 Anna Borbála Bodolai

Hungarian law, especially the practice and procedure of family reunification, is highly bureaucratic, can be delayed for years and, instead of showing a strong commitment towards the integration of third-country nationals, the state often denies new entry for foreign family members of third-country nationals. The Hungarian policy also favors “cherry-picking,” offering preference (if at all) on...

Family reunification Hungary