The Finnish Immigration Service has begun investigating the prerequisites for establishing an immigration centre of expertise. Such an investigation forms part of the current Government Programme, which states the need to clarify and streamline statistical and research activities on immigration.
According to preliminary plans, the centre of expertise would collect, produce and analyse information in support of policy decisions on, and the practical administration of, immigration issues.
The evaluation will be ready by the end of the year. The aim is to establish the immigration centre of expertise by the end of the current term of government.
Centre of expertise to be linked to EMN contact point?
The Finnish national contact point for the European Migration Network (EMN), located at the Finnish Immigration Service, is performing the evaluation.
The work will involve clarification of whether the centre of expertise, and immigration-based statistical and research activities, could be combined on a more extensive basis with EMN contact point activities. A preliminary plan envisages basing the centre of expertise's activities on efficient leveraging of the existing EMN national researcher network.
The EMN network has national contact points in all EU countries and Norway, and it is chaired by the EU Commission. The EMN’s task is to support policymaking in the EU by providing up-to-date, objective, reliable and comparable information on immigration and asylum issues. In addition to politicians and officials, information is also provided to the general public through e.g. the website at www.emn.fi.
Further information for the media
Mari Helenius, Senior Adviser, European Migration Network, The Finnish Immigration Service
Tel. +358 (0)71 873 0431, e-mail: firstname.lastname@migri.fi
