European Migration and Diversity  

Ukraine / PODCAST

From war zone to the work force? How to support women displaced from Ukraine on the EU labour market
It has been 3 months since Russia invaded Ukraine. Since then, 6 million people have fled the country. Most of them women and children. Quickly after the start of the war, the EU triggered the Temporary Protection Directive, an exceptional measure intended to give people displaced from Ukraine an automatic right to travel freely throughout Europe, and gain access to social welfare, healthcare, housing and work.

In this episode, we talk about how Ukrainian refugees have fared and how they are integrating in their host countries. And because so many of them are women, we delve deeper into what specific challenges that are facing on the labour market.

With: Lyuba Karpachova, Refugees Department Lead, Promote Ukraine; Lena Detlefsen, Postdoctoral Researcher, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW), part of the MEDAM project team; Teresa Hornung, Senior Adviser, BDA Confederation of German Employers' Associations; Katerina Dimitrakopoulou, Head of Sector working on Integration, Legal Migration and Integration Unit, DG HOME; and Silvia Carta, Policy Analyst, European Policy Centre.

This episode is part of the Mercator Dialogue on Migration and Asylum or MEDAM, a research project that develops evidence-based solutions for asylum and immigration policies. 

With Rebecca Castermans , Silvia Carta

Afghanistan / PODCAST

Afghanistan revisited - Part I

Four months after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the spotlights have dimmed. But as winter sets in and the new regime tightens its grip, what is the state of the country, its people, and the Afghans that have fled and are still looking for safety? In this two-part episode, we talk about the unfolding humanitarian crisis, how Afghan refugees are faring in neighbouring and other transit countries, and what the EU and the international community are doing to address it. 

With Abdul Ghafoor Rafiey, founder and director of the Afghanistan Migrants Advice and Support Organization; Rene Taus Hansen, Afghanistan & Pakistan Department at the European External Action Service; and Helena Hahn, junior policy analyst in the European Migration and Diversity programme at the European Policy Centre.

This episode is part of the Mercator Dialogue on Migration and Asylum or MEDAM, a research project that develops evidence-based solutions for asylum and immigration policies. 

Additional sources:

MEDAM Assessment Report 2021

Challenges and priorities of the EU’s response to the situation in Afghanistan (Egmont Institute)

Afghanistan: Commission announces €1 billion Afghan support package (12 October 2021)

Afghanistan / PODCAST

Afghanistan revisited - Part II
Four months after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, the spotlights have dimmed. But as winter sets in and the new regime tightens its grip, what is the state of the country, its people, and the Afghans that have fled and are still looking for safety? In the second part of a two-part episode, we discuss the EU’s tense, knee-jerk response to the crisis back in August and September, and what it has revealed about the EU’s current view and approach to migration policy.  

With Jean-Louis De Brouwer, the Director of the European Affairs Program at the Egmont Institute; Silvia Carta, Policy Analyst in the European Migration and Diversity programme at the European Policy Centre; and Helena Hahn, junior policy analyst in the European Migration and Diversity programme at the EPC.

This episode is part of the Mercator Dialogue on Migration and Asylum or MEDAM, a research project that develops evidence-based solutions for asylum and immigration policies. 

Additional sources:

MEDAM Assessment Report 2021

Challenges and priorities of the EU’s response to the situation in Afghanistan (Egmont Institute)

Afghanistan: Commission announces €1 billion Afghan support package (12 October 2021)

Health / PODCAST

Vaccine certificates: Damned if you do, damned if you don't
An EU vaccine passport could help us get back to normal sooner, but at what cost?

Despite lingering disagreement between member states, the Commission will soon present its proposal for an EU vaccine passport. The upcoming 'digital green pass' should make it easier for EU citizens to cross borders in time for the summer holidays.

But not everyone is on board; health experts warn there are still too many unknowns about the effectiveness of the existing vaccines, while others worry about the ethical, social, and privacy implications.

With vaccine certificates becoming a potential ethical, technical and political minefield, the Commission and member state governments will have to think through all possible effects and outcomes: What are the benefits of having an EU vaccine certificate? What are the potential pitfalls? And what could be some of the unforeseen, downstream consequences in the long run?

In this episode, EPC analysts try to answer those questions, covering the health, social, freedom of movement and data privacy dimensions of the debate.

With contributions from Greek Minister of Digital Governance, Kyriakos Pierrakakis, and EPC policy analysts Simona Guagliardo, Alberto-Horst Neidhardt and Andreas Aktoudianakis; and Programme Assistant Helena Hahn.
With Rebecca Castermans , Alberto-Horst Neidhardt , Simona Guagliardo , Andreas Aktoudianakis , Helena Hahn

Migration / PODCAST

The New Pact on Migration: Some answers, more questions
The Commission has finally launched the New Pact on Migration. After years of gridlock, Commission Vice-President of Schinas and Commissioner Johansson seem confident that this set of proposals can bridge the gap between the member states and deliver real progress on EU migration reform.

Marie De Somer, Head of the EPC's Migration and Diversity programme, Olivia Sundberg Diez, EPC Policy Analyst, and Matthias Lücke, coordinator of the MEDAM project (Mercator Dialogue on Asylum and Migration)assess the New Pact's strengths and weaknesses. What is it that is 'new' about this proposal? What are the chances that it will lead to actual reform? And can the new solidarity mechanism convince the more sceptical member states?
With Marie De Somer , Rebecca Castermans , Olivia Sundberg Diez , Matthias Lücke